


Redux

by Sweet_Christabel



Series: Misconceptions Universe [2]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Cathy is in Les Mis, Cathy/Virgil home entertainment team, F/M, background Gordon/Penelope, background John/Ridley O'Bannon, the whole Tracy clan is here - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:48:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 55,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweet_Christabel/pseuds/Sweet_Christabel
Summary: Sequel to Misconceptions. Short multi-chapter story followed by one-shots set after the events of Misconceptions featuring multiple characters. When Scott's proposal gets interrupted by an emergency call, Anne isn't surprised. Nor is she worried that he wants to wait until he gets back to hear her answer. Because he always comes back. Right?
Relationships: Scott Tracy/Original Character(s)
Series: Misconceptions Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1710859
Comments: 74
Kudos: 33





	1. Interruption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I still do not own Thunderbirds Are Go or any of its characters. This is still most irksome.
> 
> A/N: Greetings! Welcome to the sequel. Plot bunnies (are those still a thing?) determined to mess up my initial format for this, meaning that we're starting with a 7-part multi-chapter story before reaching some one-shots to tie things off. I know that's kind of weird, but many things are weird right now. Feel free to let me know if there's something you'd like to see in a one-shot, and I will consider it. No guarantees, though.
> 
> Jeff elbowed his way into this chapter quite significantly, so he gets a recap on how he's doing almost right away.

**Chapter One – Interruption.**

Anne Ashton hit send on the last document of the day and determinedly shut down her work station with a wave of her hand. The holograms vanished, leaving her desk pleasingly clear. Getting to her feet, she stretched, her spine clicking in a satisfying way, and left the small room that was her office. 

“Night, Jeff,” she called, passing the open door to her boss’s office. 

Jeff Tracy glanced up with a smile. “Night, Anne. See you tomorrow.”

Over the last year and a half since his return to Earth, Jeff had slowly integrated himself back into Tracy Enterprises, although he’d been adamant about maintaining Anne and her colleague Tim as joint CEOs of his company. He’d even gone as far as to officially drop the ‘Acting’ from their titles. He himself bore the title of Founder, and he was quite happy with that. Rather than attempt to take work from Tim and Anne, he was instead fulfilling a more active role in planning out new space ventures, even if he hadn’t quite mustered up the courage to go on one himself. 

Jeff’s eight years alone in the Oort Cloud had had a profound effect on him, and he was still working on recovering his confidence. Understandably, space had been the last place he’d wanted to go upon his return, but everyone on Tracy Island knew that it was temporary. Jeff Tracy was an astronaut through and through, even if he was suffering a minor hiccup. He had only been back a mere two months before he’d started announcing his plans to beat his nervousness and travel out to the black once again. 

As soon as he’d gotten back to good physical shape, he’d tested himself by taking a trip up in the space elevator to Thunderbird 5, where he spent an hour with John before venturing back down. The next time, Alan had given him a quick trip in Thunderbird 3. Recently, he’d flown to the moon and back, Alan reluctantly giving up the controls of his beloved rocket in the name of Jeff’s recovery. Anne had no doubt that any day now, Jeff was going to announce his intention to travel to Mars to visit his old friend, Captain Lee Taylor. After that, who knew. Jeff’s limitations would be gone once more. 

Anne smiled to herself as she walked the familiar path through the Tracy villa, waving to Grandma Tracy who was busy in the kitchen. Jeff’s return to health had been a gradual process, but everyone on the island had been pleased to see it. Sometimes he would cover John on communications from his desk in the lounge, but largely he kept out of International Rescue other than offering advice over the comm as his mother did. Anne suspected it was hard for him to do so, but the Tracy brothers had adapted while he’d been away, and International Rescue was theirs. Jeff didn’t want to disturb the balance of how they worked, even though they’d all have welcomed him. And he seemed to enjoy having a chance to work on space projects again.

In an unassuming corner of the house, Anne stepped onto the circle cut into the floor and let the scanner on the wall approve her palm print. The circle descended, taking her down into the tunnels beneath the island. The transport pod was just arriving as she reached the bottom, and she took a seat. Its protective bubble-like hull enclosed around her, and then it was racing along the tunnel on its own magnetic field, coming to a stop a mere few blurry seconds later. It enabled Scott to have the shortest commute time possible whenever there was an emergency, but even after months of usage, it still made Anne feel slightly queasy. 

Another palm scanner called another small elevator down to her, and then she was rising, coming to a stop in her own, sunset-bathed living room. Anne never got tired of the sunsets, or the scenery in general from the wall of windows that gave them a panoramic view of the ocean. She knew she was damned lucky to live where she did, and that wasn’t even taking into account who she lived with. 

Scott shot her a smile of greeting from where he was chopping up carrots in the kitchen that took up one end of the open-plan room. 

“Hi,” he said, deftly wielding the knife without even looking at it, which made Anne almost cringe. “How was your day?”

Anne stepped off the elevator and dropped her tablet onto an armchair. “It was good. I had a productive conference call with Tim and the heads of R&D. Yours?”

“Fifty-eight hours without a rescue so far,” he reported. “Every time that happens I’m reminded that I don’t have any hobbies.” 

She smiled at his tone. “Sure you do. What about guitar?” 

“It depresses me,” he fired back lightly, sweeping the carrots into a pan of bubbling water. 

Anne laughed, approaching him and rising up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “The guitar depresses you?”

He turned his head to peck her on the lips instead. “No, my ability on the guitar depresses me.”

“All the more reason to practice, love.” 

“Can’t, I’m busy making you dinner,” he retorted smoothly. 

Anne shook her head, smiling. “Well since it was my turn yesterday and it’ll be my turn again tomorrow, that seems fair to me.” She moved away from him to grab a glass, filling it with water and taking a sip. 

“What are the others doing with the downtime?” Scott asked her. “I went for a run with Virgil this morning, but I haven’t heard from them otherwise.”

“Gordon was actually working on some modifications with Brains,” Anne reported. “Something to do with wanting his suit to protect him at greater depths. Alan had a heap of college work to do, so I didn’t see him much. I didn’t see Virgil much either, although I’m pretty sure he was talking to Cathy at one point. It sounded like they were rehearsing.” 

Scott smiled knowingly. “Wow, at this rate Christmas is gonna be a musical extravaganza and not much else.” 

“Just as well we’re having a quiet Thanksgiving, I guess,” Anne said with a shrug. “One can have too much of a good thing. Like my mother’s company.”

He chuckled, then looked a little guilty. “She’s your mom, she _should_ come here for Christmas. Besides, we can’t invite Cathy and not her, that would be weird.”

“I know,” Anne relented with a huff. “I love her, but she’s hard work, that’s all. Hopefully it will just be like last year, and she’ll drink a whole bunch of sherry with Grandma T and fall asleep on the couch.” Looking at the various pots Scott had on the go, she changed the subject. “Can I help with anything?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“You can get out of the way.”

He said it cheekily with a wink. She tried hard to look annoyed, but couldn’t help but laugh. She did as he asked, retreating to one of the stools that lined the breakfast bar so they could continue their conversation. 

They’d lived together for a year and a half now. Although it had technically been a bit of a gamble, as they hadn’t been able to spend much time together beforehand, it had felt like an easy decision to make. Barring a few small minor arguments over things that didn’t ultimately matter, every day had proved it to be a good decision. Anne still felt tense every time Scott was out on a rescue, but she was used to it by now. Sometimes, if her work allowed, she would venture out to the Tracys’ lounge to listen in on the comm chatter with whoever was left behind, breathing easier when Scott was on his way back. 

Anne largely enjoyed the set-up she had with Tracy Enterprises, which allowed her to do the majority of her work from the office she’d been given in the main house. It involved multiple conference calls a day, plus regular visits in person, but in terms of how much work she got done, nothing much had changed. Since she was now capable of flying herself, she quite enjoyed the commute to L.A., which often gave her the opportunity to drop in on her sister, Cathy, who lived in her old apartment. 

When dinner was nearly ready, Anne paid a visit to the bathroom, immediately catching sight of the candle in the middle of their little table when she returned to the lounge. 

“What’s the occasion?” she asked, smiling at the picture it made. 

Scott shrugged. “I found it in a drawer.” 

“Oh. Well, it’s nice anyway.” 

“I thought so.” 

As they ate, they traded theories about the plot of a TV series they were currently watching, and the conversation spiralled into light-hearted but vehement disagreement about the main character’s ultimate fate. Anne was convinced he was going dark, whereas Scott was standing up for redemption. They even made a wager on the eventual outcome, agreeing on a full week of dinner-making duty for the loser. They clinked their glasses to seal the deal, each taking a sip from their grape juice as they smirked at each other. The Tracy boys all avoided alcohol unless shore leave rules applied, and Anne had taken to doing the same. 

After they were done, they cleared the table and Anne made coffee, brewing a decaf for herself. Caffeine seemed to have no negative effects on Scott, a trait that she envied. She took hers over to the window, gazing out at the clear night. With practically no light pollution, she could enjoy the view of thousands of stars untainted by the side-effects of humanity. 

Scott stepped up to her side, sliding a hand down her arm and gently taking her coffee cup from her. Placing it on the table, he said softly, “Can I, uh…can I talk to you for a second?”

Attention piqued, hoping she didn’t need to be concerned about anything, she nodded. “Sure.”

“I love you,” he began, looking earnestly into her eyes. “I love the life we have here, and I hope that you love it too.”

“Scott, you know I do,” she told him reassuringly. 

“Good. I’m glad. That’s…really good,” he said articulately. “I wouldn’t change anything about our life…except maybe one thing. You fit in here, everyone loves you. You’re part of this family in every way that matters, but…I’d really like to make it official.” He drew a small box from his pocket and sank to one knee, opening the lid.

Anne’s mouth fell open in surprise, and she found her eye inevitably drawn to the ring on the black velvet cushion. It was white gold, featuring a blue topaz flanked by small, tasteful diamonds. She couldn’t help smiling. The shade of blue would have reminded her of him regardless of what the ring represented. She lifted her gaze to meet his vivid eyes, almost the same colour, feeling a lump form in her throat at the expression in them. 

“Anne, will you marry me?” 

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, when the emergency signal began to beep.

Scott let out a frustrated growl. “Oh, come _on_!” 

Anne laughed, shaking her head. How could it have possibly happened any differently? 

“This is yours,” Scott said hurriedly, pressing the box into her hands before scrambling to his feet and running for the elevator.

“Wait, don’t you want my answer?” she called after him.

He flashed her a grin. “Tell me when I get back.” He scanned his palm with one hand, activating his comm with the other. “John, what’s the situation?”

“It’s the earthquake site in New Zealand,” John reported, his voice floating up to Anne as Scott began to sink out of sight. “The authorities are requesting help with the relief work.” 

The temporary floor panel that covered the gap when the lift was down cut off any further information John might have had. Left alone, Anne sighed heavily, but remained by the window. She could see her own wide smile reflected in it, and she cradled the box carefully in both hands. Was it bad etiquette to put the ring on before answering the question? She wasn’t sure. It felt strange, though, so she determinedly closed the lid, avoiding the temptation until he returned. She doubted there would be much suspense about her answer. 

Slipping the box into her cardigan pocket, she stayed put until the ships had launched. She could always hear them, even if she didn’t always see them. That evening, however, she was rewarded with the sight of two sets of lights zipping away, one a fraction faster than the other. Thunderbirds 1 and 2, on their way to save lives. 

She debated travelling over to the main island to sit with Jeff and Grandma, but decided to wait. Relief work could take all night. She’d continue with her evening and venture over if she felt anxious. 

She tried watching a movie but felt too distracted to concentrate on it. It was just providing background noise. Sighing, she switched it off, checking the time. Too early for sleep. Reaching for her tablet, she pulled up the novel she was reading and attempted to settle into it. 

It must have worked, as the next thing she knew, she was being woken by the beeping of her comm. A little disoriented from sleeping on the sofa, she sat up and activated it. 

“Yes?”

“Sorry to wake you,” said Jeff, his hologram looking apologetic. “Can you come over to the house?”

Anne pushed her hair out of her face. “Sure. On my way.” 

He vanished, and she got to her feet, yawning. Outside, first light had turned the sky a cold shade of blue, and she jolted to full alertness as she realised how much time had passed. Why was she being summoned to the house? Did she have grounds to be worried? 

Regardless of whether she had grounds, she _was_ worried. She shoved her feet into her shoes and dashed over to the elevator, scanning her palm and descending. Once she’d hurtled through the tunnels and emerged back up on the other side, her heart was thumping hard in her chest. Jeff, Brains and Grandma Tracy turned to look at her as she all but ran into the lounge. Their expressions were grim, which did nothing for her nerves. 

“What is it?” she said breathlessly, skidding to a halt.

Jeff approached her, placing a hand on her arm. “Anne, there’s been an accident,” he said. His tone was largely calm, although there was a faint worried tremble underlying every word. “Scott and Alan were pulling survivors from a ruined building. Part of it collapsed. Scott was unable to get out in time. The others have taken him to the hospital but he’s unconscious. We’re flying over there in the civilian jets. We’re just waiting for John. He’ll meet us in the hangar, so let’s get moving.” 

Struggling to take all the information in while panic tried to get in the way, Anne let herself be steered by Jeff. 

“I’ll k-keep an eye on things,” Brains called after them.

“When you say ‘unconscious’…” Anne started to say, unhappy with the vagueness of the report. Unconscious for now but likely to wake soon? Unconscious and never going to wake again? Unconscious and…

“We don’t know,” Jeff said, and he sounded just as disgruntled as she felt. 

Anne swallowed hard, focusing on the goal of reaching the hospital. She couldn’t allow herself to think about anything else. 

In the hangar, the two civilian jets were in place, one the red-painted model that Scott had used to fly to Tracy Enterprises back before the secret was out, the other the black one she usually flew herself. 

Jeff turned to her as they headed across the floor. “Do you want to come with me?”

Anne shook her head. “No, it’s fine, take Grandma T on ahead. John won’t be long, right?”

“By my calculations the space elevator should be docking any minute,” Jeff told her, glancing at his watch. 

“Then we’ll be right behind you,” she said with a firm nod, trying to sound braver than she felt. 

Jeff returned her nod, hurrying over to Grandma, who was standing impatiently by the red plane. There was a brief argument over who was going to fly, which Jeff promptly won, and then they were both in and taxiing out onto Thunderbird 2’s runway. Anne took a deep steadying breath, working on calming her taut nerves. She scrambled up into the black plane’s cockpit, powering up. 

Less than two minutes later, a thud of footsteps heralded John’s arrival, and he leapt up into the plane with far more grace than she had. 

“You okay to fly?” he asked her, not even out of breath. 

“Yes, I’d rather be doing something,” she assured him, closing the canopy. 

“Okay. I’m sending the coordinates to the computer,” he said, tapping some buttons on the wrist comm that went with his civilian clothes. 

Anne received them, punching them into navigation and guiding the plane out of the hangar. She poured all her concentration into flying, still not a hugely confident pilot, although she was an adequately capable one. John didn’t speak much, which suited her just fine. 

When they approached the hospital in Christchurch, Anne spotted Jeff’s plane parked up near Thunderbird 2, and she brought hers down vertically beside it. She and John hurried across the parking lot, weaving through cars, finally bursting into reception. 

Anne was confronted with inevitable flashbacks of a similar dash two years ago, where she’d been blocked by an annoyingly-competent receptionist. That occasion had turned out pretty well eventually. She could only hope that it would be the same case again. 

“We’re here to see Scott Tracy,” John said. 

“Names?” the receptionist asked, glancing at a document on her tablet. 

“John Tracy and Anne Ashton.” 

“You’re expected. Follow the signs to…”

“It’s okay,” came Virgil’s voice as he appeared at their side. “I’ll take them.” 

Busy, the receptionist nodded to him and looked to the next visitor. 

Virgil was attracting a lot of attention, seeing as he was not only still in uniform, but covered in masonry dust, grime, and blood that didn’t seem to be his own. 

“How is he?” Anne asked as they began to follow Virgil’s lead along the corridors. 

“He took a nasty bump to the head. They had to relieve some pressure on his brain, but he stabilised pretty fast after that,” Virgil reported. 

Anne exhaled in relief. Stable was good. Stable was progress in the right direction. 

“Is he awake?” John put in. 

Virgil didn’t answer right away, halting them in a small waiting area, and turning to face them wearing an expression that Anne really didn’t like. 

“He’s awake,” he began.

Anne stared up into his face, her stomach tying itself in knots. It was the face of someone figuring out how to break bad news. 

“But?” she prompted him. 

Virgil sighed heavily, resting a hand on her arm much the same way his father had back at the island. “But,” he went on, “he’s suffered some memory loss. He doesn’t seem to remember anything from the last few years.”

Anne simply stared at him, her mind buzzing as she grasped what he was saying. 

“But…” John’s voice held a frown. “That would mean that he doesn’t remember…”

The blood rushed in Anne’s ears, and her own voice sounded far away. 

“Me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, I'm sorry, the summary was a bit misleading, but it was quite good for dramatic effect! I realise this story idea isn't exactly original, but the concept wouldn't leave me alone. I freely admit now that my knowledge of head injuries is not great, but I do know that the human brain is capable of some very unique quirks. Check out 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat' for examples!


	2. New Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I meant to mention in the first chapter that the space elevator apparently takes eight minutes to travel between Thunderbird 5 and Tracy Island. I initially assumed it would take a lot longer, but there we are. Just in case anyone was wondering how John got there so fast, it was because canon says so!
> 
> Now on to something I unfortunately _do_ have experience with: fainting. (I do not recommend it.)

**Chapter Two – New Reality.**

Anne had never fainted before, but the way sound seemed to peter out around her, and the blackness narrowing her vision to a pinprick made her think she might be on the cusp of it. An additional firm grip on her arm indicated that John had joined Virgil in keeping her upright, and she soon found herself directed to a chair. A hand on her back encouraged her to lean forward, her head between her knees, and her vision started to clear. She stared at the pristine white floor tiles and contemplated what she’d been told. 

Scott didn’t remember the last few years. He didn’t remember her. It all seemed…unreal. A bad dream that she couldn’t pull herself out of. 

Slowly, cautiously, she sat up. John and Virgil peered at her in concern, and she offered them a feeble smile. 

“I’m okay.” Deciding to forge ahead before they could dispute her claim, she added quickly, “What else?” 

Virgil looked thoroughly reluctant to tell her the rest, but he went on anyway. “The doctors say he might regain the memories when he heals fully, but there’s no guarantee, and no way of knowing how long that would take. For now, they want him kept as calm as possible until they can determine whether there are any other side-effects.”

“What kind of side-effects?” John asked.

“I think they’re worried about seizures or blackouts,” Virgil said. “He’s already proved that his basic functions aren’t affected, and he still remembers who he is and what he does. Until they can be certain that he’s otherwise stable, we have to humour him on a few things. That means…uh…no big shocks.”

“So no surprise girlfriends turning up,” Anne said, her tone sounding both bitter and despairing. “Right.” 

“That’s ridiculous,” John put in. “We can’t hide your relationship from him. You live together!” 

“We can move Scott back into his old room if we need to,” said Virgil. “Although he’ll probably need to spend some time in the med bay when we’re allowed to bring him back, so hopefully it won’t be necessary.” 

“Hopefully,” Anne repeated faintly. “So what about me? Do I just get shipped back off to L.A. without even seeing him?” The bitterness was more pronounced that time, but she was unapologetic. 

Virgil met her gaze, bearing her anger without flinching. “No,” he said firmly. “You won’t be kicked out of your home. We’ll work around it. You can see him, but Anne…are you sure you want to?”

She stared at him incredulously. “Of course I’m sure!” 

“It’ll be tough,” he said. “You won’t be able to tell him what you are to him. Not yet, anyway. And he won’t recognise you. I can’t imagine how it would feel to have him look at _me_ and not know me.”

The words were blunt and harsh, but she knew he was doing it for her benefit. If she saw Scott, she needed to know exactly what she’d be letting herself in for. 

“I want to see him,” she decided, standing. John’s hand shot out to hover by her elbow, but she was steady on her feet. She was not going to back down. She hadn’t travelled all the way there just to wimp out of checking he was okay with her own eyes. 

Seeming to understand her viewpoint, Virgil nodded. “Okay. Let’s go meet up with the others.” 

He led them around a few of the corridor’s corners until they reached another small waiting room, where Gordon, Alan and Kayo were sitting. All three of them looked as dishevelled and grubby as Virgil. They got to their feet when the others approached, and half-hearted greetings were exchanged.

“Dad and Grandma are in with him,” Alan explained. 

“Wait, he knows about Dad being back?” John asked, frowning. “I thought they said no big shocks!” 

“He caught sight of Jeff before we could stop him,” Kayo put in. “Luckily it didn’t seem to have any effect on him. Besides being happy, I mean.” 

“That’s a good sign, right?” Alan said, looking at Virgil. 

“I hope so,” Virgil said gently, putting a hand on his youngest sibling’s shoulder. 

“He knows it’s three or four years later than he thinks it is,” Kayo added. “The doctor seemed to think it was best he realise that now rather than later.” 

“I think I need to talk to this doctor,” Anne decided, folding her arms. She felt sick, and didn’t think almost-fainting was entirely to blame. 

“We asked her about you,” Gordon said. 

For some reason she was taken aback, although she wasn’t sure why. Gordon had always had her back, after all. 

“You did?”

“Yes, we explained the situation. The doctor maintained that Scott shouldn’t have any surprises until he’s fully stabilised, but she said you should definitely be around. In time you might jog his memory, or you can gradually imply what your relationship is.” 

Anne took the information in, trying to figure out how she felt about it. To talk to Scott like a stranger, to try and keep her feelings hidden…she wasn’t sure she could. 

She focused on other things before she got weighed down by sorrow and fear. “When can I see him?” she asked. 

“He’s only meant to have two visitors at a time, but Grandma said she’d be out soon,” Alan told her. 

Anne nodded, keeping her arms tightly wrapped around herself as she walked a few paces away. She felt rather than saw the others exchanging glances. Ignoring them, she wondered what the hell she was going to say when she got in the room. Could she even mask her feelings well enough to act normally around him? She didn’t know. But if there was a chance that her presence could prompt his memory, she had to take it. 

“Why wasn’t he wearing his helmet?” she heard John ask. 

“He gave it to the guy who was stuck,” Alan told him. “We had to pull them both out, but the other guy just had a broken leg thanks to Scott.” 

“Sounds like him,” John said with fond exasperation. 

Before long, Grandma Tracy emerged from a room down the corridor, Jeff at her heels. She went directly over to her grandsons, but Jeff approached Anne, fixing her with a steely gaze.

“Did they explain everything to you?” he asked.

She nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes.”

“Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“I…I have to be,” she answered simply. Living with International Rescue had the unavoidable side-effect of making her want to live up to them, although she rarely had chances to test her bravery.

“All right,” he said with a nod of his own. “I’ll be right next to you, okay?”

“Okay.” 

Nerves flaring to life, she followed him back the way he’d come, and soon they were entering the room. Scott lay in the clinical-looking bed, his head wrapped in a bandage. There were a few cuts and scrapes marring his skin, but otherwise he looked as well as could be expected. He smiled when they entered. It was a smile Anne was familiar with, but one she hadn’t seen in quite some time: a polite smile. There was nothing in his eyes but vague curiosity. No particular warmth, no affection, no love, and no recognition. Despite everything, she’d been holding on to the tiny hope that he would somehow still know her, even if only on a subconscious level. 

A jolt of dismay punched her in the heart, and she knew at once that the road ahead was going to be so much tougher than she’d imagined. 

Somehow, she managed to arrange her features into a smile, ignoring the acute ache in her throat as she fought back tears. 

“Hi,” she said. Her voice was a touch croaky, but otherwise normal. 

“Hi,” he replied, his gaze flicking to Jeff. 

“You, um…you don’t…” she stammered.

“Remember you?” he finished for her. “Sorry, no. Are we friends?”

“Yes,” Jeff cut in, saving her from having to find a reply. “You get along pretty well. Anne’s one of my CEOs from Tracy Enterprises. She works alongside me from the island.”

Scott’s eyebrows shot up. “You live at the house?” 

Anne glanced at Jeff, wondering how much information counted as ‘big surprises’. He sent her a look that she somehow instinctively translated. She needed to stick as closely to the truth as she could whilst following the doctor’s orders. 

“Uh, no…” she said, clearing her throat. “No, I…have an apartment on one of the other islands.” 

“Oh,” Scott said, frowning. “I didn’t know there were apartments on the other islands. It’s a good idea.”

“I have those occasionally,” Jeff said dryly. 

Scott grinned, and Anne could see the spark of joy in his eyes that she recalled from the first few days of having Jeff home from the Oort Cloud. He was reliving the novelty of having his father back again. She inhaled shakily, as silently as she could. Jeff still noticed, however.

“Listen, son, we’re going to send John in for a quick chat, then we’re going to let you get some rest,” he spoke up. “The others have to get back to work, but Anne and I will stay until you get discharged.” 

Anne shot him a look of surprise, but said nothing. She’d question him outside. 

“Sure thing, Dad.” Scott sent another of those polite smiles Anne’s way. “It was good to meet you. Again.”

She managed a sound that could just about pass as a laugh. “Get some rest,” she rattled out before swiftly turning on her heel and exiting the room. 

“Is she okay?” she heard him ask. 

“It’s just a shock to us all to see you like this,” Jeff answered diplomatically. 

Sensing an imminent meltdown, Anne dashed down the corridor, thankfully ducking into the female restrooms. She gripped the edge of the sink with an ivory-knuckled grasp, almost doubling over as she let out the sobs she’d barely been keeping contained. Every horrible detail from the past few hours rose up to assault her, and she expelled all her visceral reactions. She kept a cast-iron grip on the sink, afraid that if she didn’t, she’d punch the mirror, or do something else that she’d instantly regret. 

The unfairness of it all hurt the most, and at the back of her mind, she was acutely aware that he’d asked her a question she’d never given him an answer to. She was now deathly afraid that she’d never get the chance to.

Almost as quickly as it hit, the storm passed, and she turned her thoughts to the immediate future, wiping her tears on her sleeve. She had to focus on the positives; namely that he was alive and would recover from his physical injuries. The hospital was full of people who wouldn't be so lucky, and she sent a silent thank you to the universe.  
She’d assumed they’d send Kayo or Grandma Tracy after her, and it was with some surprise that she saw the door open to let Gordon in.

“This is the ladies’ room,” she pointed out, her voice sounding thick and raw.

“So?” he said with a shrug.

“So you’re not a lady.”

“Says you. I think I could rock some of Penelope’s outfits.” 

Against her will, she smiled at his tone. Gordon had the gift of being able to lift most people’s spirits, even in the direst circumstances. 

“I’m willing to offer a hug,” he went on, “although I’m kind of a mess.”

She shook her head. “Thanks, but no. If anyone is overly nice to me, I’m just going to start crying again. It’s a miracle that I’ve managed to stop at all.” She sighed heavily, meeting his gaze. “Gordon, what am I going to do? This situation is…”

“I know,” he said. “But I know exactly what you’re going to do, and so do you.”

She nodded, straightening up. “Stop feeling sorry for myself and get on with the task at hand?”

Gordon winced at her harsh words. “Uh…kinda, although I don’t think you’re feeling sorry for yourself. At least, not without good cause. You’re going to be yourself. Scott’s still the same guy. Even if he never gets his memory back, that doesn’t mean you two are over.”

“You mean I have to find a way to make him fall for me all over again,” Anne said, voicing the bizarre conclusion she’d come to. In a near-whisper, she added the part that scared her the most. “What if he doesn’t?”

Gordon actually snorted before pasting on a more sensitive expression. “Like I said, Scott’s still the same guy. He loves you, even if he doesn’t remember. You’re still you, so there’s nothing to suggest that you’re not still compatible.”

The door opened, and a preoccupied-looking woman stepped in to the bathroom and froze, staring at Gordon with wide eyes. “Uh…”

“I’m not leaving,” he stated firmly. “It’s up to you if you do, but if you stay, I promise we won’t listen.” 

Anne fought back another smile, regardless of her concerns. The woman blinked, inwardly debating, then shrugged and locked herself in a stall. Gordon reached over and activated the tap, then continued their chat over the sound of the running water. 

“I know what you’re saying makes sense,” Anne said, “but…I can’t help feeling nervous about it. The situations just won’t be the same as they were when we were first falling for each other.”

“Maybe not, but you have a huge advantage. You already know what you have in common, you know what he likes about you, you know what you bonded over the first time,” Gordon said encouragingly. “You got this, Anne, I truly believe that.” 

She managed a half-hearted smile, wanting desperately to believe him. 

“I know it’s a shitty situation,” he added. 

Anne let out a bitter croak of laughter. 

Gordon acknowledged it with a look of sympathy. “Yeah, bit of an understatement, I admit.”

“No, it’s not that,” she tried to reassure him. “It’s just…it _is_ a shitty situation, but it’s…it’s actually way more unfair than you think.” 

He tilted his head curiously. “What do you mean?”

Instead of explaining, Anne simply pulled the ring box out of her pocket. 

“Oh holy shit,” Gordon muttered. 

“The emergency signal went off before I had time to answer,” she explained in a rush, trying to get the words out. “He said…he said I should tell him when he got back.”

Her sorrow threatened to pull her down again, and she ruthlessly shoved it back. She didn’t want to waste time on another bout of crying. But the ring just seemed to be a tangible reminder of something she might never get back, and that was difficult to ignore. 

“Okay,” Gordon said after a moment’s thought, “that…complicates things emotionally.”

Anne almost laughed at the statement, although it wasn’t remotely funny. 

“I think…I don’t want to sound harsh, but I think you need to try and put that out of your mind for now,” he concluded. “In a few weeks, maybe…” He left the sentence unfinished, no doubt due to the uncertainty surrounding the state of things ‘in a few weeks’. 

In the silence, the woman emerged from her stall and headed over to wash her hands, eyeing the pair of them with interest as she did so. 

Anne tucked the ring safely back in her pocket, unwilling to share it any further. She’d let out her distress and acknowledged her troubles, now it was time to work towards a potential fix. 

“Okay, step one,” she said, squaring her shoulders. 

“Splash some cold water on your face,” Gordon advised her at once. “While the swamp hag look is interesting, it’s probably not your best one.” 

She laughed, less bitterly than she had before, which made Gordon smile. The stranger shot him a bewildered look as she passed them on her way to the door.

“Please don’t report me,” he said to her hurriedly. “I’ll be out of here in a sec.”

She said nothing, and her expression was hard to read. Anne shook her head before bending to take his advice about the cold water. Her eyes were red, about which there was little she could do, and her face had taken on a distinctly puffy look. She definitely couldn’t visit Scott again until the evidence had subsided. 

“Okay,” she said, straightening up and combing her hair through with her fingers. “Guess we should return to the others.”

Gordon nodded his agreement. “Dad’s probably got a plan of his own by now.” 

“Probably. Hey, Gordon…thanks for coming to find me.”

He sent her a warm smile. “Relationship advice buddies have to look out for each other,” he said simply. “Come on. It’s going to be okay.”

Almost convinced by his confident tone, Anne let herself be led out, focusing not on what she stood to lose, but what she could do to prevent it instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: May we all be blessed with a Gordon in our lives. I promise this is the most angsty chapter. Things are on the up from here on out.


	3. Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope everyone is still keeping safe and well.

**Chapter Three – Bonding.**

Jeff did indeed have a plan, and fortunately it aligned nicely with Anne’s own. She knew they all wanted Scott to regain his memories if he could, and she would play a big part in that. If it proved to not be possible, then they all stood behind her in her attempt to salvage as much of her life as she could. 

Everyone else would return to Tracy Island until needed to bring Scott home, while Jeff and Anne would remain. This was for a handful of reasons. Firstly, because Jeff was very reluctant to leave his eldest son during his recovery. Secondly, because they all agreed that Anne needed to spend as much time with Scott as possible, and if he believed she was there to aid Jeff in working away from home, then it made her constant presence plausible. They were exaggerating Jeff’s role at Tracy Enterprises in order to do so, but pretending she was basically Jeff’s assistant as she’d been before did not seem like much of a sacrifice in Anne’s book. 

Nobody had commented on her red-rimmed eyes when she and Gordon had returned to the group, for which she was grateful. The frequent sympathetic looks indicated how they were all feeling. There was some guilt there too, from Virgil in particular, and she knew he was feeling irrationally bad because Scott still remembered his family. She didn’t begrudge him that. She could only imagine how much worse the situation would have been if he couldn’t remember any of them, not to mention if he’d forgotten basic functions like speech and movement. 

Anne flew back to Tracy Island with the others, staying just long enough to pack small bags for herself and Scott. After a quick shower, she returned to Christchurch, toting a third bag for Jeff that Virgil packed for him. She made sure to use plenty of conditioner. Smell was often the most potent trigger for memories, and she knew Scott was familiar with her hair products. It was unlikely that she’d get close enough for it to be of any use, but she wanted to be prepared. 

Although still dreading it, she felt a lot more primed to see him the following day. She was even relatively confident that she could master her emotions. It felt superficial, but she made sure to wear her hair in a style he liked, and she picked out a top in his favourite shade of blue. She kept her make-up to its usual minimum. She wasn’t going to sell a version of herself that wasn’t real, but the little details could help. She was fervently praying that the head trauma hadn’t somehow altered what he found attractive in people. She was relying on that foundation of physical attraction on which to build their connection. 

She wrinkled her nose, mindful of how manipulative her thoughts seemed. It didn’t sit well with her, feeling almost as if she was deceiving him in some way. 

_No ‘almost’, you_ are _deceiving him_ , her internal voice piped up. 

_But it’s for a good cause_ , she argued with herself. _And I’m not going to lie to him forever._

Jeff had managed to get them both rooms in a nearby hotel, and he’d decided to stay in his until after lunch. Anne was on her own. She was undecided as to whether she was glad about that or not. The doctor had called earlier that morning, giving them permission to start filling Scott in on a few things he now needed to catch up on. Evidently his positive reaction to seeing Jeff had them enthusiastic about his ability to handle other changes. 

Pausing for a deep, nerve-strengthening breath outside the door to Scott’s room, Anne determinedly lifted her chin and walked into the room. Scott was sitting up, reading something on a tablet. He glanced up as she entered, sending her that thrice-damned polite smile. 

“Hi,” he said. 

Anne noticed the brief flicker of his eyes as he took in her slightly-more-spruced-up appearance, and took it as an encouraging sign. 

“Hi,” she said, pitching her tone as friendly and familiar. “Want some company?”

“Sure.” 

He set the tablet down as Anne took the single chair next to his bed. 

“Your dad is stuck in a conference call,” she casually lied. “Thought I’d come and see you. How are you feeling?”

Scott seemed to accept the scenario, answering her readily enough. “Pretty tired. Constant headache. But otherwise okay, thanks.” 

She frowned. “Constant headache?”

“The doctor says I should get used to it,” he said with a wan smile. 

“Huh,” she mused, considering. “You’d think they’d have a painkiller of some kind around here.”

His smile widened fractionally at her tone. “They’re giving me as much as is safe,” he assured her. 

Anne nodded. “What are you reading?” she asked, gesturing to the tablet. 

“The news,” he said, sounding a touch bewildered. “Apparently the media already knows I’ve been injured. I don’t even remember us lifting the secrecy policy, but Virgil says it was my idea.”

“It was,” Anne answered him automatically, a sudden jolt of fear passing through her. The media knew who she was and what her relationship to Scott was. What if he read an article that referred to it? “Are you sure you should be reading that?” she couldn’t help asking. “You’re supposed to be taking it easy.” 

“I am, I’m lying down,” he retorted. 

“You’re sitting up,” she argued, just for the sake of accuracy.

He fixed her with a steady look, which she tried hard not to fidget under. It was so very disconcerting to see the distance in his eyes. She hadn’t realised how much warmth was usually in his gaze until she’d seen him without it. The dull ache beneath her ribs grew a touch more acute. 

“So, uh…you already spoke to Virgil today?” she said.

He nodded slowly, clearly trying not to aggravate his bandaged head. “He filled me in on a few things I’ve missed. I can’t believe Alan is in college.” 

She quirked a tiny smile. “It suits him. He actually likes studying for once, because he chose his subjects himself.” 

“I remember that transition,” Scott said, smiling himself. “It felt like the first real step to adulthood. Although the air force interrupted my second year and I never looked back.” 

Anne had heard that before, of course, but she nodded politely. 

Scott’s gaze shifted focus to her, where it rested for a beat before he spoke again. “Tell me about yourself.” 

She blinked. “Huh?”

“You work for my dad and you live on our secret base,” he elaborated. “That’s all I know about you. I know this must be weird, we’ve probably been through this already, but…you gotta help me out. If my memories don’t come back, we’re just going to have to start from here.”

That was true enough, and Anne shifted her weight uncomfortably. “Okay,” she said. “What do you want to know?”

“How long have we known each other?” 

That actually took some mental calculation, and she thought back to when she’d first contacted him, and the first time he’d walked into her office at Tracy Enterprises. “Almost three years,” she told him, unable to help smiling as she remembered that first meeting, how she’d berated him for things that – she would later discover – weren’t entirely his fault. 

“What?” he asked, catching her expression.

Anne met his gaze, answering truthfully, if vaguely. “Nothing, just remembering…we didn’t get along all that well at first, but we do now.” 

“How come?” 

He looked curious to hear the story behind her comment, but Anne didn’t intend to share it. Not yet, anyway.

“I didn’t know about International Rescue at the time, so there were some misunderstandings. They got cleared up pretty quickly,” she explained. “What else did you want to know?”

Scott frowned slightly, raising her suspicions that he’d caught her side-stepping, but he said nothing about it. “Just…whatever I used to know, I guess.”

Anne sat back in her chair, trying to figure out how best to reply. She wondered if he was being vague on purpose, in response to her own imprecise remarks. 

“Well,” she began, mentally shuffling her thoughts, “I’m from California. Got a mom who drives me nuts. One older sister. Dad died when I was little.”

“How old were you when your dad died?” he asked her. 

She recalled a long-ago conversation from her very first visit to Tracy Island, back when they’d been getting to know each other better after his secret had come out. They’d bonded over the loss of a parent, even though Scott had been so much older when his mom had passed away. 

“Four,” she told him, hoping her feelings weren’t showing on her face. “We talked about this before, actually,” she explained. “You told me about when you lost your mom.” 

He looked a touch surprised, and she knew he didn’t often let himself be vulnerable with people. “Did I? 

“Yeah,” she said gently, sending him a smile. “At that point you knew you could trust me with International Rescue stuff, so…I guess you were just proving that you trusted me in general. I appreciated it. I _still_ appreciate it.”

Scott thoughtfully sifted through the information in silence, and Anne waited, familiar with his expression enough to know what he was doing. 

“What else?” he asked after a moment’s pause.

“About me?” she clarified. “Well…I like cats, books, science-fiction movies, and walks on the beach,” she summed up with a shrug. 

“I like sci-fi movies too,” Scott said with a touch more animation than he’d shown thus far. 

Anne smiled, nodding. “I know. We’d been discussing this show… Actually, you know what, you could be catching up on that again while you’re in here.” She leaned forward and swiped the tablet off his lap.

He blinked a little but said nothing, and she wondered if the move was too familiar. It wasn’t as if she’d actually touched him, though. 

Focusing on the device, she ran a search for the show they’d been watching together, the one she had wagered a week’s worth of dinner preparation on. 

“Here it is. You’ll like it.” 

She handed the tablet back, and he glanced at the screen, reading the synopsis. 

“Does sound like my thing,” he admitted.

Feeling as if she should keep the first visits to a minimum, Anne got to her feet. “I look forward to discussing it with you,” she said, offering him a smile. 

Scott returned it, and she noted that his expression was a shade warmer than his polite one. It was small progress, but she’d take it. 

“I should go and see if your dad needs me to do any work,” she said. 

“Okay. Thanks for dropping by.” 

She couldn’t tell if he was particularly bothered whether she came back or not, and tried hard not to let it hurt her. The visit had been more mentally taxing than she’d anticipated, and she was already exhausted. 

“See you later,” she said casually, heading for the door. 

“Okay,” he replied. 

Anne briefly closed her eyes, opening them again before she did something embarrassing like walk into a wall. She couldn’t resist shooting a quick look back at him before leaving, and was rewarded with the sight of him slipping in some earbuds and pressing play on the tablet. He’d taken her recommendation, and that was a start. A small one, but a start nonetheless. 

Outside the room, she took a mere two steps down the corridor before stopping to lean her back against the wall. She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly. 

“Hang in there,” a voice said, and she felt a faint ripple of air as someone walked past her. 

Opening her eyes, she saw a nurse in purple scrubs heading away down the hallway. Taking the encouragement, she pushed off the wall and set off in the opposite direction. 

* * *

“Virgil called to let me know what happened,” said Cathy the following day, her hologram looking at her sympathetically. 

“Virgil called you, huh?” Anne said, her tone only the faintest bit suspicious. “You sure do talk a lot.”

“We’re collaborating,” Cathy all but growled, emphasising the second word more than it really needed. “How else are we supposed to practice if we don’t talk a lot?”

Anne decided she didn’t have the energy to point out that Cathy had known Virgil for well over a year, and they’d talked a lot in between their various musical collaborations. Since they rarely met in person, Anne was relatively sure that there was nothing going on. She just relished the chance to tease her sister over it, since they’d only become close in recent years. The Tracys were a ridiculously attractive family, and Anne knew her sister had noticed. As had her friend Viresh, who, coincidentally, was also a Virgil fan. 

“Anyway,” Cathy went on, cutting through her thoughts, “I wanted to call and make sure you were okay.” 

Dropping the teasing smirk in light of Cathy’s concern, Anne sent her a grateful smile. “I’m okay. Holding it together. Did Virgil tell you what I’m having to do?”

“Yeah.” Cathy’s expression indicated her mixture of sympathy, admiration and good wishes, despite the fact that she didn’t seem to know how to say any of it. “Is it…damn, this is going to sound like such a stupid question, but…is it…really difficult?”

It wasn’t a stupid question. Anne couldn’t blame her for being curious. “Yeah,” she replied honestly, “it’s really difficult.” She didn’t elaborate, didn’t want to go over it all again, and Cathy seemed to grasp that. 

“What do you want me to tell Mom?” Cathy asked instead. “She’s seen the news, so she knows one of the boys is in hospital.” 

Anne considered. “Tell her it’s Scott, but…let her know I’m going to be busy taking care of him for a while.” 

Cathy nodded. “Okay. I doubt I can do much, but let me know if you need anything.”

Anne was touched by her thoughtfulness. She hadn’t always been so considerate. “Thanks, I will. I’m due at the hospital again, so I have to run.”

“Okay. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” 

Half an hour later she was walking the corridor to Scott’s room, trying to mentally prep for whatever the conversation threw at her. 

“Hi,” she greeted after checking that he was awake. 

“Hi!” 

His greeting was more genuine than it had been the previous day, and Anne fought to hide her delight. 

“Your dad let me go early,” she said. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine, other than being slightly mad at you for getting me hooked on a series that hasn’t aired its finale yet,” he told her.

Anne grinned, sitting down next to his bed. “Did you binge the entire thing?”

“Yeah, I finished it this morning.” 

Against her better judgement, Anne leaned forward, resting her forearms on the edge of his bed. “What do you think is going to happen with Masterson? He’s going dark for sure.” 

Scott sent her a look of disgusted disagreement. “No way, he’ll come back and redeem himself! Look at the way he reacted to his cousin’s death!”

Anne found herself smiling a bittersweet little smile. They’d had almost this exact debate several days ago. He’d made the same argument then too. 

“That was just to show that he’s conflicted,” she countered. “I think it’ll send him into a spiral.” 

“No, it’ll make him regret what he did to Sam and he’ll try and fix it,” Scott said adamantly. 

Anne shook her head in stubborn disagreement. 

“Well, when do we get to find out?” Scott added. 

“They’re releasing the last episode tomorrow.” 

“Do you want to watch it with me?” 

She looked at him in pleased surprise. “That sounds fun,” she said as warmly-but-nonchalantly as she could manage. “Are you allowed popcorn?”

His lips twitched upward. “I don’t actually know. Can you sneak it in anyway?”

“I can try. I’m no Kayo, but I can be stealthy sometimes.” 

He gave a huff of laughter. “She could probably sneak me in a four-course dinner if I asked her.”

The door opened, admitting a nurse in purple scrubs, the same one who’d told Anne to ‘hang in there’ the previous day. With a jolt, Anne recognised her as the woman who’d come in to the ladies’ room while Gordon had been in there, although she’d been out of uniform then.

Her astonishment must have registered on her face, as the nurse sent her a benevolent smirk. 

“Just here to check your bandage, Mr. Tracy,” she said brightly. 

“No problem,” Scott said, obligingly sitting up a little straighter for her. “Hey, uh…”

“Chloe,” she provided, not sounding at all offended that he’d forgotten her name.

“Chloe. Am I allowed popcorn?” 

She laughed at the random question, gently tilting Scott forward as she examined the back of the bandage. “As long as you don’t choke on it, I don’t see why not.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Anne assured her. To Scott, she added, “Do you want to place a bet on the outcome, by the way?”

He grinned, settling back against his pillows as Chloe turned to add the results of her check onto his record. 

“Sure. Winner gets…”

“To pick the next thing we watch,” Anne cut in, seizing the opportunity to insert herself into his routine. 

Scott didn’t seem to sense anything sly about her motives, nodding his agreement. “Okay. I’ll start thinking now, because I’m going to win this.”

“There’s no way,” she said with confidence.

“What are you arguing about?” Chloe asked, closing Scott’s file with a wave of her hand. 

“ _The Nomad_ ,” Anne answered her. “We disagree about the fate of the protagonist.” 

“Oh, he’s redeeming himself for sure,” Chloe said at once.

“Right?” Scott said, shooting Anne a triumphant grin. 

“You’re both insane,” Anne declared, folding her arms. 

“We’ll find out tomorrow,” Chloe said with a smile, heading for the door. “They’ll be round with your dinner soon, Mr. Tracy.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

At the mention of dinner, Anne’s stomach growled. “Huh. Guess I should go and find some myself.” She got to her feet. “I’ll be back tomorrow with the popcorn.”

Scott smiled. “Okay. “

“Have a good evening,” she said, turning to go. 

He halted her with a “Hey,” and she looked back enquiringly. 

“We didn’t shake on our deal,” he said, offering a hand. 

Anne tensed, eyeing it. She hadn’t touched him since the whole nightmare began. Swallowing, she reached out and placed her hand in his, and they shook. His palm was calloused and warm and painfully familiar. She wasn’t sure if he’d noticed her brief moment of hesitation, but his gaze was steady on hers, a faint whisper of a frown indicating that he at least noticed that his touch affected her. 

_That might not be a bad thing_ , Anne thought to herself. 

There was no reason to conceal her attraction to him, as long as she didn’t overdo it. It might even boost his confidence if he was still attracted to her. 

They dropped hands, and Anne sent him a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” he replied. “See you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I've been trying to get into painting again after a long break. I'm working my way through the Tracy boys (as it were), so far only Gordon and Alan are done, but they're posted on my Instagram. You can find me at sweet_christabel if you're interested.


	4. Small Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time to see who won the bet.

**Chapter Four – Small Progress.**

That evening, Anne ate dinner with Jeff, reporting to him how the visit with Scott had gone. Jeff was visiting him once a day too, but they always made sure they didn’t go at the same time. He was being incredibly supportive of what she was trying to do, for which she was grateful and touched. 

_And he doesn’t even know that I was on the cusp of being able to call him my father-in-law,_ she thought. 

After her dad’s death, she’d never adopted any father figures growing up, so it had taken her a while to realise that Jeff was turning out to be one. Now, it was a huge comfort to know that she had such a reliable ally. Although the Tracy family didn’t have as big a stake in Scott regaining his memories as she did, they were all rooting for her, and she was incredibly moved. That wasn’t to say they didn’t care whether he did or didn’t. They had some shared memories, such as celebrating Jeff being home, that they all treasured and would be sorry to lose. It was just that seeing as Scott remembered them all, remembered International Rescue, remembered he was an ace pilot, they could all move forward quite easily from where they were. Anne could not.

When she got to the hospital for her visit the following day, a bag of popcorn swinging gently in one hand, it was Chloe she ran into first.

“Hello,” she greeted politely.

Chloe, who seemed to be taking five minutes to scarf down a candy bar from a vending machine, smiled at her. “Hi.” 

“Uh…about the incident in the bathroom…” Anne began.

Chloe waved her off. “Don’t worry about that. I’d had a weird day, and that was just the cherry on top. Not every day you find members of International Rescue in the ladies’.” 

“He was trying to cheer me up,” Anne said with a shrug.

“I assumed. Not sure how calling you a swamp hag helped with that, but…” She trailed off, giving a shrug of her own. 

Anne smiled. “He was just teasing me. I’m like a big sister to him.” 

“Older brother’s girlfriend, huh?” Chloe deduced, clearly having pieced it together from what she’d overheard, coupled with Scott’s condition. “I’m glad I ran into you, actually. I just wanted to say…I know what you’re having to do, and I can’t imagine how hard that is. So, if you need to talk, feel free to grab me. Or we have a councillor on site.” 

Anne appreciated her kindness. “Thank you. I’ll bear that in mind. Uh…do you think there’s a chance? Of his memories coming back?”

Chloe ran a hand through her practical short red hair, looking uncertain. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not an expert, and there’s still so much we don’t know about head trauma, even after centuries of research. The human brain has a huge capacity for healing itself, but it’ll do it in its own time. What you’re doing now, integrating yourself back into his life, may help jog things along, but there’s no guarantee. Although…why don’t you just tell him who you are?”

Anne frowned at her. “I got told he wasn’t supposed to have any shocks.” 

“That was true when he was first brought in, but he’s been stabilised now, and there don’t seem to be any other ill effects. He could handle it.”

Conflicted, Anne considered the outcome of doing so, and very quickly reached a conclusion, one she’d unconsciously made days ago. “No,” she said. “I don’t want him to stay with me because he feels he has to. He’s so duty-driven, if he knew who I was…” She sighed. “I…maybe it’s selfish, but I need to know that…that he wants to be with me. I need him to love me.”

Chloe nodded, her dark eyes warm with empathy. “That’s not selfish. We all deserve that. Actually, it’s kind of the opposite of selfish because you don’t want to trap him.”

“I guess so,” she admitted. 

A device on Chloe’s wrist started to beep, and she glanced at it. “Shit, gotta run!” 

Anne watched as she bolted down the corridor, darting into a room several doors down. A white-clad doctor was mere footsteps behind her, followed by two other nurses. Sparing a thought for the life they were trying to save, Anne continued on her way. 

In light of her decision not to tell Scott who she was, she realised she needed to put a safety measure in place. Fortunately, she knew exactly who to call. Halting in the waiting area near Scott’s room, she took a seat furthest away from the room’s single occupant and selected John from her contacts. 

“Hi,” he said, materialising above her wrist comm. “Everything okay?”

“Fine,” she assured him. “I just have a tiny potential problem that might need ironing out.”

“Go on.”

Taking him at his word, Anne explained. “Scott’s been reading the news on his tablet. The media knows who I am. I’m just a little worried that he’ll learn of our relationship from there.”

To her surprise – although really, she shouldn’t have been surprised at all – he waved off her concern. 

“Don’t worry, I already took care of that.”

“You…took care of it?” she repeated. 

“Yes, I’ve been editing every article he gets on the tablet. It’s fine.” 

She stared at him for a beat before smiling, shaking her head. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re on our side.”

John smirked modestly, shrugging one shoulder. 

“I think you could actually bring down governments if you put your mind to it,” Anne added. 

“Not single-handedly,” he protested lightly. “EOS would help.” 

She let out a quiet laugh. “Well, thanks for anticipating issues.”

“No problem. Have a good day.” 

“You too.” She signed off, getting to her feet and continuing on her way. 

Scott was sitting up in bed when she reached his room, smiling down at his tablet as he typed on it. He glanced up when she entered, sending her a smile. 

“Just answering a message from Alan,” he explained. 

“How’s he doing?”

“He’s good. Complaining about an obnoxious guy they just had to rescue from a train.”

Anne chuckled, taking her usual seat. “I brought the popcorn,” she said, holding it up for him to see. 

“Is that maple flavoured?” he asked eagerly. 

“Of course.” 

“How did you…shit, never mind,” he amended, grimacing. “Sorry, I keep forgetting that I’ve…you know…forgotten.” 

Anne couldn’t help but smile at that. “It’s okay. How are you feeling today?”

“Still got the headache, but I’m okay,” he told her. “That nurse, Chloe, sneaked me an extra pudding cup at dinner last night, so that was a highlight.”

Anne smiled. “That’s nice of her. I bumped into her just now, actually. We had a good chat. I like her accent.”

Scott laughed. “Me too. New Zealand and Australia are just really friendly-sounding accents. Although I’d be lying if I said I could tell the difference between them.” 

“Same, but don’t go around saying that out loud.”

He chuckled, swiping the tablet. “I’ve got the finale ready to go.”

Anne opened the popcorn bag, propping it up against Scott’s side so they could both reach it. He grabbed a handful at once, making a muffled noise of approval as he chewed. 

“So much better than hospital food,” he said once his mouth was clear. 

“Happy to help,” Anne said, taking some for herself. “Come on, then. Let’s see who’s right.”

“It’s gonna be me,” he could not seem to resist saying before pressing play. 

Anne shifted her seat closer so she could see, and they settled into companionable silence as they watched a recap of the series so far. 

Fifty tension-laden minutes later, they watched the credits roll, and Scott sent her a triumphant grin. 

“Don’t say it,” she said, holding up a hand. 

“What, that I was right?” 

“Yes, that.” 

“Okay, I won’t say it,” Scott said serenely, and Anne couldn’t stop herself from laughing. 

“Okay, so what are we watching next then?” she asked him. 

He began typing into a search bar on the tablet. “I was thinking _Outpost_.”

Anne’s expression froze in place. _Outpost_ was her favourite movie. Scott knew that. Or at least, he had… Was his choice a coincidence, or something from his subconscious? 

“Problem?” he asked, taking in the look on her face.

“No, just…that’s my favourite movie,” she said, seeing no reason to keep the knowledge from him. 

He lifted surprised brows. “Oh. Did I know that?”

“Yeah, you did,” she admitted. 

He frowned a little, thinking. “Hmm,” was all he said. 

“Did you…remember that?” Anne asked him cautiously.

“I don’t think so, but…” He shrugged. “Who knows?” He remained quiet for a moment, then said, “Anne, before my accident did we…did we used to sit and watch stuff and discuss it together?” 

Warily, she nodded. “Yes, sometimes. Why?”

“Just feels kind of familiar.” 

Before she could figure out how to respond to that, he’d moved on, bringing the movie up on the tablet. 

“Shall we?”

She forced a smile. “Sure.” 

* * *

For the next week or so, Anne visited Scott on a daily basis, sometimes to watch movies with him, sometimes just to talk. He seemed increasingly pleased to see her, which convinced her that she had his friendship moving forward, even if nothing else. She hadn’t yet decided how she would cope if that remained the case. 

He grew increasingly restless too, eager to return home and return to his duties, although the doctors, nurses and Jeff all made it clear that it would be a while before he flew again. A potential side-effect of his injury was blackouts, which would obviously be disastrous during a mission. But regardless of when he’d be allowed to get back in the cockpit, Scott simply wasn’t the kind of man who could easily lounge around for days on end. He craved action and exercise, and all but the very basic of activities were barred to him until his headaches improved. 

Although he never became bad tempered per se, his words became a little more acerbic and bitter, and he was prone to sullen moods. Anne and Jeff attended a meeting with Scott’s doctor to discuss the plan of action, and even she admitted that Scott would probably be better off at home. After Jeff assured her of the state of the art medical bay that existed on Tracy Island, the doctor relented quite easily. 

“But,” she stipulated, “he’ll need to be monitored by a cranial scanner 24/7 for at least another week. And one of you needs to learn what to look for in the twice-daily check-ups and add it to his medical record. I’ll review it every evening and contact you if need be.” 

“I’ll do that,” Anne said at once. 

Jeff nodded in agreement. “It’ll be a good reason for you to be around often, even though he’ll have his brothers there to visit him.” 

The doctor nodded. “Very well, then. I’ll get Chloe to show you what to do.”

“Thanks.” 

“I’ll get his discharge form processed for tomorrow,” the doctor said before hurrying off to her next patient. 

“I’d better call Virgil to come get us,” Jeff said, already searching the contacts on his comm. 

The civilian planes had been flown back by the others, so they didn’t have to worry about them. Virgil had his call hijacked by Alan and Gordon, and all three of them seemed elated at the thought of their big brother coming home. It made Anne smile to hear, in spite of everything, and caused Jeff to adopt the proud little look that he often wore when his boys did something he approved of. 

When he ended the call, they went to tell Scott the good news, finding time for a quick chat on the way. 

“You’re holding up great, by the way,” Jeff commented. “Just felt I should tell you that in case anyone else hasn’t.”

Anne eyed him sceptically. “Really? Because I feel pretty fragile on the inside.” 

“You can feel fragile and still battle on,” he said sagely. “That’s what being part of International Rescue is all about. We never give up.” 

“Oh, I don’t think I’m…”

“What are you doing for Scott right now?” Jeff cut across her. “Maybe it’s not life or death, but even still. You’re working to save part of him that might be lost.”

Anne considered that, reluctantly conceding the point. “I guess.” 

“You got this, kiddo. I’m sure of it.” 

She’d only heard him bestow that nickname on the boys, and it made her smile, feeling the warm glow of being included. “Thanks, Jeff.” 

* * *

“Just make sure you hit ‘update’ when you’re done, otherwise we won’t be able to see the changes you’ve made,” Chloe said, rounding off her instructions to Anne and closing down Scott’s medical record.

“Got it,” Anne assured her. 

“Any questions?” Chloe fixed her with a stern look, but her eyes held a twinkle. 

“No, ma’am,” Anne replied. 

“I have a question,” Scott piped up. 

Chloe switched her gaze to him. “If it’s ‘can I leave now?’ the answer is no. Not until your lift gets here.” 

“Actually, looks like the answer is yes,” Jeff said, looking at his comm. “Virgil’s just landing.” 

“Right then,” Chloe said eagerly, “let’s get you into a hoverchair.”

“Uh, that’s fine,” Scott protested, holding up a hand. “There’s nothing wrong with my legs.”

“I know that and you know that,” Chloe said with a manner of infinite patience, “but if you took a fall on your way out, my neck is on the line. Besides, if I don’t escort you out, when else am I going to get the chance to see a real Thunderbird?” 

Jeff chuckled. “You could just ask nicely.” 

Chloe shot him a wink. “Noted.” 

As if demonstrating his point, Scott got off his bed and into the hoverchair before it had even come to a complete stop. He stretched out for the controls, but Chloe batted his hand away. 

“Humour me.” 

Anne smiled, picking up Scott’s bag along with her own. She and Jeff had checked out of their hotel that morning, and all three of them seemed to be looking forward to getting back to Tracy Island. 

They met Virgil outside, where he was chatting to a group of people who had gathered to look at the ship. Anne was struck with a pang of déjà vu as she recalled a similar scenario when they’d taken Gordon home from hospital. It was odd to think that Scott wouldn’t be experiencing it too. 

After Chloe had made impressed noises over Thunderbird 2, she said her goodbyes, and Anne thanked her. Scott happily got out of the hoverchair so she could take it back with her. He was quite capable of walking, but there was something a little less…confident in his gait. Perhaps merely a side effect from nearly a full week in a hospital bed. 

On the journey, Jeff reiterated the conditions of his return home. 

“You’re going to stay in the medical bay,” he told his son firmly, pivoting from his position in the co-pilot’s seat. “You can get up and walk around, but you need to stay hooked up to the cranial scan until they say you can come off it.”

“I know, Dad,” Scott said, sounding as if his patience was thinning. Anne didn’t blame him. They’d had the conversation at least twice. 

“Don’t worry,” Virgil put in, “we’ll come and keep you company.” 

“Yes,” Anne added. “You won’t be on your own.” 

“Thanks, guys.” He seemed genuinely pleased, but the situation in general was grating on him. 

Sometime later, comfortably settled in a bed in the medical bay, Scott was treated to an impromptu gathering of all Tracy Island’s residents. Even John made a holographic appearance, despite apparently being very busy on a project with Captain O’Bannon. With all the Tracys together, talking over each other and sharing stories, it would have been easy for Anne to feel left out. Usually she had Scott as her link to them, but she couldn’t count on that, even though he did seem to look to her on more than one occasion. Fortunately, Virgil, Gordon and Alan had no intention of shutting her out, constantly asking her to give her opinion on something, or prompting her to tell them news from New Zealand. She was immensely grateful, and hoped her expression said as much since it would sound weird to say it out loud. 

Before long, they all scattered for dinner, although Virgil elected to eat with Scott, and the group made a pact that one of them would do so every day. Alan immediately volunteered to take the following day, and Anne hid a smile. Scott was his hero. Despite the fact that he was maturing quickly, spending every fourth week at his college campus, nothing could alter that. 

It was with surprising ease that they fell into a routine. Anne would check on Scott’s vitals and cranial scan twice a day and report back to the hospital. Someone would keep him company during the day. Everyone had their turn at that, but the family had all privately agreed that ‘circumstances’ should dictate that it was often Anne. Since rescue calls were constantly coming in, often they didn’t even have to make up reasons why. In the evening, one of them would eat dinner with him. Sometimes the whole family descended into the medical bay afterwards to watch a movie, or Virgil would challenge him at chess, or Gordon would ask him to play innuendo Scrabble, or Alan would do his best to get him to try one of his video games. Occasionally John would call for a chat, or Kayo would come and give him an update on what she was doing with the GDF. Since Scott didn’t remember her decision to start working with them more, it took some explaining. 

Somehow, the group found a way to spend time with him while also making sure that he and Anne were thrown together a lot, all without making Scott suspicious. When she thought about the logistics of it, Anne couldn’t figure out how they’d managed it, but she’d decided long ago to stop being surprised at what International Rescue could achieve. 

He’d been home for just over a week when he said something that signified a potential turning point. 

“I had a dream about you last night,” he spoke up casually as Anne tended to the vase of flowers that Grandma had insisted on putting in the room. 

“Oh?” she said nonchalantly. 

“Yeah. You jumped off a tower.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Very small cliffhanger!


	5. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Time to set foot in memory lane. Just a little bit. More like poke a toe in, really.

**Chapter Five – Dreams.**

Anne froze, turning to look at him with a wilted rose stem still in her hand. Scott, hearing no reply, turned his head, eyes meeting hers. 

“A…tower?” Anne asked, finding her voice. 

“Yeah,” he answered her, a small frown knitting his brows as he studied her. “I jumped out of Thunderbird 1 to catch you.”

Her eyes widened, and she quashed the flare of hope that burst to life in her chest. It was too soon for that. Far too soon.

“That…” She cleared her throat. “That really happened.”

It was his turn to look surprised. “It did? When?”

“Almost three years ago.” 

His expression was double layered, shrewd and concerned as he tried to piece the fragments together: shrewd as he began to realise that some of his dreams might be real, concerned at what his most recent one had shown him. 

“Uh…this is probably redundant if that memory’s three years old, but…what possessed you to jump off a tower?” 

Anne couldn’t help smiling a little at the tone of the question. “It was on the verge of collapse. Jumping was the last resort. Virgil had already taken the other trapped people away, I was the only one left. And we ran out of time, so…you told me to jump. I did.” She shrugged. 

He pursed his lips thoughtfully as he processed the information. “And…was I…almost buried under the sea floor once?” he asked hesitantly. “I know it just sounds like a standard nightmare, but…I was in Thunderbird 4, so… That’s the only other rescue dream I’ve had, but it doesn’t make sense. Why was I in 4 and not 1?”

Anne racked her brain, trying to find an answer for him. “Uh…it’s possible. I don’t remember, but one of your brothers might. Gordon was recovering from an accident at one point, so you may have taken over Thunderbird 4 then. Sorry, that’s not much help.” 

“No, it is,” he assured her, flashing her a quick smile. “Thanks, I’ll ask the others later.” 

She gathered her racing thoughts. “Have there been any other dreams that might be memories?”

Scott’s frown deepened as he thought. “Not that I can remember,” he said. “Do you think my memory’s coming back?”

“I don’t know. The memories are still there, so maybe they’re just finding their way to you in the only way they can,” she theorised. “At the moment, anyway.” 

“Maybe.” He sighed. “It would be nice to have them back. It’s…disconcerting to have gaps.”

“I can imagine,” she murmured, turning back to the flowers and pulling a few dead leaves off. 

“I mean…what if I’ve forgotten something really important?” he went on. 

Anne remained silent, her stomach knotting. 

“The guys would tell me, I guess,” Scott said, partially answering his own question. “But still…I feel like something’s…off. Like something’s missing. You know?” 

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, her mind suddenly wiped blank. 

“It took me a while to notice,” he added, not seeming concerned at her lack of responses. “Everything felt off at the hospital, but now that I’m here…”

Anne sent him a sidelong glance, her mouth dry. He blinked, seeming to snap out of the deep thoughts, and flicked her a quick smile. 

“Probably just the gaps that feel weird,” he concluded. 

She returned the smile as best she could, sweeping the bits of dead plant into her palm and crossing the room to the trash. She washed her hands in the tiny sink in the corner before returning to his bed. He was dressed and sitting on top of the covers, as he did most days, but the slight jiggle of one socked foot told her that he was restless again. He was only permitted to do the mildest of exercises until his headaches faded. 

“I’m supposed to check your wound today,” she reminded him. “I can come back later though if you want.”

“No, you can do it now,” he said, bowing his head so she could examine the stitches at the back of it. He was sans bandage now, which was good as he’d complained more than once that it itched and messed up his hair. Although the last part had been him trying to be funny. At least, she hoped it was. 

Anne stepped up to the side of the bed, leaning over him to gently check the healing gash that some malicious piece of rubble had left on him. She drew her hair over one shoulder, belatedly realising that she should have tied it back. 

“Stitches look good. Another few days and they’ll have dissolved completely.”

“Good. I can shower properly again.” 

She managed a faint huff of laughter, checking the temperature of the skin around the wound like Chloe had taught her. 

“No unusual warmth,” she reported. “No signs of infection.” Her hair slipped from where she’d tucked it, swinging round and almost smacking him in the face. “Shit, sorry.”

She straightened up, or rather tried to. His hand shot out and gripped her arm, startling her in place. He lifted his head and met her gaze, his expression holding an old spark for a split second before confusion took its place. 

_My conditioner_ , she realised. _He recognises my conditioner._

The flash of remembrance passed as quickly as it had come, leaving him looking decidedly frustrated. He let go of her, and she slowly drew back. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I thought…actually, I don’t know what I thought.”

“It’s okay,” she said, stepping away to add her inspection to his medical record, taking a precious few moments to regulate her breathing. “I have to get back to work,” she told him when she was done. “Do you want me to see if anyone’s free?”

Looking pensive, he shook his head. “No, I…I think I’m gonna take a nap. Thanks,” he added as an afterthought, sending her a brief flash of a smile. 

“Okay. I think it’s your grandma’s turn to eat dinner with you, so she’ll be along in a few hours.” 

He’d long since given up asking why he couldn’t just come up to the dining room, and so simply nodded, scooting further down the bed so he could lie down. Anne studied him for an indulgent few seconds before taking her leave, her mind buzzing with questions. She needed to update Jeff on what had just happened. 

* * *

The next day Anne was due in L.A. for her bi-monthly visit to Tracy Enterprises. Since she was going straight there, she was in the business-formal wear that she’d used to don every day, her hair pinned up in a bun. Scott wouldn’t realise it, but she looked much like she’d used to look when they’d first known each other. She made a stop at the medical bay before leaving, so she could do her first check-up, and Scott eyed her appearance with surprise. 

“You look…corporate,” he said. 

“I have a meeting in L.A.,” she explained. “Dress code policy. Believe me, it’s no joke getting in and out of a cockpit in this skirt.”

The corner of his lips twitched upward in amusement. “I don’t want to point out the obvious, but…wouldn’t it be easier to wear pants?”

“It would, but I don’t own any. Not officey ones, anyway.”

“Couldn’t you change when you get there?”

“I wish,” she sighed, refreshing the cranial scan, “but unfortunately Tim likes to show off that I have a pilot’s licence now, and he tends to bring our visitors up to the roof to greet me. Why he thinks that would impress anyone, I really don’t know.” 

She turned to note the results of the scan on Scott’s record, and felt rather than saw his inquisitive gaze.

“Now?”

She shot him a look of confusion. “Huh?”

“You said you have a pilot’s licence _now_ ,” he obligingly clarified. 

“I learned to fly after I moved here,” she told him, catching on. “Otherwise I would have been kind of stranded.”

He smiled at that. “Was it a hard decision? Moving here?”

Answering honestly, she shook her head. “Not at all. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to live on a paradise island with a bunch of handsome young men?” She shot him an impish smile, closing down the medical record. 

Scott laughed. “Can’t really relate, but okay.” 

Casting a quick look at the time, Anne headed for the door. “I won’t be back until tomorrow, so your dad will do the second check-up.”

He sent her a nod in acknowledgement, then halted her with a “Hey.”

Anne paused, pivoting to look back at him. 

“Who taught you to fly?”

She felt her answering smile was a little sad, and she fought to level it. “You did,” she told him. 

His expression indicated that he’d assumed as much, but annoyingly she didn’t have time to ask him if he’d deduced or remembered. 

“You’re a good teacher,” she threw at him before heading out. 

* * *

Los Angeles was much the same as ever, and she sat through her meeting with good grace, even if she couldn’t honestly say that she’d listened to all of it. Tim had been surprised to see her considering what was happening, but Anne had needed something normal to do. She couldn’t forget. However ordinary her day was, it didn’t take away the reminder that there was no loving partner waiting for her to get back, but it helped to be elsewhere for a day or so. Although she was only due at Tracy Enterprises for one day, the time difference meant that she needed to spend a night in L.A. just to make it worth the journey. Scott had managed to drop in and out back in the day, but Anne couldn’t, not with the amount of hours she needed to spend in the office. 

After Tim had gone home, she ventured out into the city in search of her sister. In the past, she’d likely have gone to Maud with her troubles, but she’d never really talked much with her about her relationship with Scott. For some reason, that honour had gone to Gordon, and sometimes Cathy. Viresh had offered her a supportive hug, but they hadn’t had much time to chat. She doubted she would have gone into detail with him anyway. Not until their next drinks night, at least. His and Maud’s relationship had ended roughly a year prior after they had both come to the conclusion that they were more friends with benefits than boyfriend and girlfriend. They were still close, and it hadn’t altered the group dynamic at all, even though Viresh spent a lot of time telling them about the cute physiotherapist he was plucking up the courage to ask out. 

_If he doesn’t say ‘yes’ we’ll never hear the end of it_ , Anne mused, entering the stage door of Cathy’s current place of work. 

Cathy had branched out from opera and was trying her hand at musicals. She’d been working with a vocal coach to increase the diversity in her singing, and had been very happy with the results. It had pleased her no end to be able to visit Tracy Island last Christmas, where she had access to a fellow music enthusiast, not to mention his antique grand piano. 

Anne introduced herself as Cathy’s sister to the doorman and was directed into the stalls of the auditorium. A rehearsal was underway, but due to wrap up soon. She took a seat, glancing up and around at the strange sight of an empty theatre, then focused on the stage. She spotted Cathy at once, standing off to one side as a couple of actors went through their blocking. Cathy saw her at the same moment, and sent her a discreet little wave. 

Disappointingly, the ten minutes or so of rehearsal that she saw were pretty boring, and Anne fidgeted a little as she watched the cast walk through some of their movements. The director gave a short speech summing up what he hoped to achieve tomorrow, and then the actors dispersed, some drifting into the wings, a couple following Cathy down the steps at the side of the stage. 

Anne stood up as Cathy approached, surprised when her sister wrapped her in a tight hug. 

“You okay?” she asked when they pulled apart.

“Just felt like you probably needed a hug,” Cathy said with a sniff. 

Anne, annoyingly, felt a small lump form in her throat. She’d spent so much time focusing on what she was projecting to Scott, she’d gotten rather good at bottling things up. 

“It’s been a _really_ long two weeks,” she admitted. 

As quickly and unemotionally as possible, she updated Cathy on her progress. Her sister, while sympathetic, couldn’t find a whole lot to say that Anne hadn’t either heard from other people or figured out for herself. Still, it was nice to talk it over with someone. 

“If he’s having dreams that are memories, surely it won’t be long before he has one about you two?” Cathy pointed out logically. 

Anne nodded, having come to the same conclusion. “Yes, but the tension, Cath,” she said with a sigh. “I feel like I’m going to snap in half every time he opens his mouth.” 

“Would it be so bad if he knew what you are to him?”

“Unless he remembers how he feels about me, yes,” Anne said adamantly. “I won’t have him be with me because his sense of duty tells him he should.” 

Cathy looked on the cusp of replying, but she quickly turned away and sneezed into the crook of her elbow. “Ugh. Sorry,” she mumbled, plucking a tissue out of her sleeve.

“That’s fine. Are you okay?”

“Just a cold. My throat feels like it’s got a circular saw stuck in it.”

“Very descriptive,” Anne said with amusement. 

“I can’t lose my voice!” Cathy lamented. “Can you imagine getting halfway through a rehearsal and finding that Eponine can’t sing?”

“Well shouldn’t you be resting your voice then?”

“Probably, but I’m good to talk for a little bit.”

Anne glanced at her, concerned. “It’s going to be a really quiet evening at this rate.” 

“Maybe, maybe not,” Cathy said, tilting her head. “I’ll be gargling later, does that count?” 

Anne smiled. “It might.”

“Come on, let me grab my stuff and we’ll go. I thought we’d order a pizza.”

“Great,” Anne said with genuine enthusiasm. “Take-outs are the one thing we’re missing on the island.” 

“Apart from me,” Cathy put in. “That’s what you meant, right?”

“Uh…of course.” 

* * *

It was a pleasant evening of relaxation and minimal stress. The two of them decided on a _Lord of the Rings_ marathon, which meant Cathy could spend hours not talking. Anne spent the time curled up on one end of the couch while her sister practically buried her entire face in her steam inhaler. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay another night?” Cathy asked her as they prepared to part ways the following day. 

“I am, but thanks. It’s been nice.” Anne smiled at her, hooking her overnight bag over her shoulder. “I should get going if I’m going to be back in time for dinner. I’ve barely been allowed to cook for myself since this whole thing started.” 

Cathy fixed her with a serious look. “Anne, call me if you need to, okay? I’ll call you back if I don’t answer. Don’t think that you’re on your own, because you’re not.”

Touched, Anne smiled gently. “I know. Thanks.” 

“Make sure those boys take care of you, or they’ll have me to deal with.”

Since Cathy had never been tough, the statement made Anne’s smile widen. 

“What are you going to do, sing at them?” she asked cheekily. 

“You betcha! Top E right in their ears!” Cathy said threateningly, and Anne laughed. 

Shortly after that, Anne took her leave, and Cathy hugged her again before letting her go. As she made her way back to Tracy Enterprises and her plane, she reflected that her sister had managed to lift her spirits quite nicely. Just a few years ago, she wouldn’t have thought that possible, and she was glad for their renewed closeness. It was one of many positive consequences of Cathy getting out of the abusive relationship she’d been in two years before. 

Scott was playing a video game with Alan when she got back to Tracy Island. They sat side-by-side on Scott’s bed, the space in front of them showing two perspectives of a projected landscape.

“No!” Alan was protesting loudly. “You’re supposed to _shoot_ the zombies!”

“I tried!” Scott retorted. “My shotgun wouldn’t fire.” 

“That’s because you’re out of ammo! Find a supply droid!”

Anne smirked to herself and backed out of the room. She would say hi to Scott during his second check-up after dinner. Neither of the brothers noticed her. 

Rather than head back to the apartment, she decided to head to the kitchen to help with the cooking, berating herself for being lazy, as it wasn’t far to go at all and she still couldn’t be bothered with it. Virgil and Gordon were collaborating on the meal, which was going…interestingly.

“Need a hand?” she asked, approaching the airy, open-plan space. 

Gordon turned to her, leaving her momentarily distracted by the apron he had donned, on which was printed a picture of the torso of Michelangelo’s David. Fortunately, it featured a fig leaf where a fig leaf was most required. 

“Wow, Gordon,” she said, smothering a laugh.

He grinned. “It’s uncanny, isn’t it?” 

Virgil, who was guarding a large pan of pasta, rolled his eyes. “You can grate some cheese if you want a job,” he said, prodding at the pasta with a spoon, presumably to make sure it hadn’t overcooked. 

“Sure,” Anne agreed, crossing the room to gather what she needed. “How much do you want?” 

Virgil considered, mentally calculating. “Better do the whole block.”

Gordon glanced at the clock on the cooker. “Should I put the garlic bread in?”

“Go for it.” 

“At least you won’t have to call everyone down,” Anne commented, getting to work. “The smell will draw them all here!”

“That’s true,” Gordon said, deftly inserting the bread into the oven. “How was your trip, anyway?”

“Pretty boring,” she admitted. “It’s always nice to see Cathy, though.”

“How is she?” Virgil asked. 

“Busy with rehearsals, although she has a cold. She’s a little worried about losing her voice, but she’s fine. How was your day?”

“We rescued a scientist from his own high-security lab,” Gordon told her. 

Anne frowned. “They needed International Rescue for that?” 

“Seeing as the scientist had been developing these super tough robots to replace security guards and a glitch made them all go nuts, yeah, they did.” 

“The authorities couldn’t get close,” Virgil put in. “Luckily Brains found a way to use an EMF pulse to shut them down from a distance, so none of us got attacked by killer robots today.” 

“Well, that’s good,” Anne said lightly. 

“Have to cross that one off the bucket list another time, I guess,” Gordon said wistfully. 

“Do I smell garlic bread?” asked Alan, appearing up the stairs. 

Anne shot a smile at Gordon. “Called it!” 

* * *

“Did you kill enough zombies?” Anne said in greeting, entering the medical bay. 

Scott glanced up at her, face breaking into a warm smile when he saw it was her. “No, apparently I’m a terrible ally to have during a zombie apocalypse.” 

She smiled, heading over to pull up his medical record. “Scott Tracy a terrible ally? I don’t believe it.”

“Clearly I should stick to rescues,” he said. “How was your trip?”

“Uneventful,” Anne deflected. “Had any more dreams? I meant to ask you yesterday.”

He shifted a touch awkwardly, but shook his head. “No. None that actually happened, anyway.”

She noted down the figures from the cranial scan. “How can you be sure?”

One corner of his mouth twitched. “Considering the only dream I remember involved an army of talking lobsters who wanted to revolt against restaurants, I sure _hope_ it didn’t actually happen.” 

Anne laughed, updating the record and closing it. “I love the way your mind works,” she said, then froze. Was that too familiar? She couldn’t tell. 

“ _I_ don’t,” he said. “It was very disturbing.” 

Relieved, she sent him a smile. 

Sobering a touch, Scott added, “If I have any dreams that I think could be memories, I’ll tell you.” 

Anne gave a nod. “Okay.” 

He met her gaze and held it, looking as if he was debating what to say next. They'd had plenty of wordless glances throughout their time together, and she was a little surprised that this one didn't seem to feel awkward for Scott. He was comfortable with her, yes, but nowhere near the level he had been. She wondered if she was over-analysing, and concluded that she probably was. It was just a look. 

Feeling a sudden wave of weariness, she perched on the medical bay’s second bed. It had three in total, but fortunately they’d only ever used one at a time. Travel days, work, and negotiating time zones was always tiring, and she was developing a headache. 

Scott sent her a look of concern. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," she waved off. "It's been a long day." 

He nodded, accepting her explanation. "Hey, uh…can I ask you something?" he spoke up.

“Sure.”

“I don’t want to ask my brothers because…well, this should have occurred to me before. Are any of them involved with anyone?” 

Anne raised an eyebrow at the surprising question, then realised it wasn’t all that surprising. Amongst everything else, he’d probably forgotten to ask. 

“Or my dad too, I guess,” he went on, although he looked as if he didn’t really want an answer to that one. 

“Your dad, no. Not as far as I know,” she told him. “Gordon is dating Penelope. They’re pretty serious, but they’ve never been able to decide on where to go from here. You know, where to live if they want to be together. John is seeing an astronaut called Ridley O’Bannon. They keep to themselves but they’re adorable. The others, no. Although…we have been known to tease Virgil about my sister.” 

His head tilted as he looked at her. “Oh?”

She shrugged. “They partner up to perform music together sometimes, and I suspect they chat about other stuff too. They’re not together or anything, but…well, you know. Sibling things.” 

Scott smiled, looking satisfied with her answers. She wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that it clearly hadn’t occurred to him to ask if _he_ was seeing anyone. Perhaps he assumed that they would have told him by now. It then hit her that he might ask her if _she_ was involved with anyone, and she shot to her feet. 

He eyed her in surprise. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just…really tired. I think I’m going to have an early night.” 

Scott frowned. “It’s 8:40.”

“I know.” She offered a shrug. “Just going to…have a hot bath and read a book, I think.” 

He blinked, then cleared his throat. "Uh...okay. Well...enjoy."

Anne studied him, eyes narrowed at his strange reaction. Then it occurred to her that his mind may have supplied a mental image to go with her words, and she bit her lip against a smile. Clearly it had made him uncomfortable, but was that because he did like her or because he didn't? She sobered quickly. 

"Thanks," she said neutrally. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He flipped her one of the jaunty salutes he'd used to do when they talked over the comm, and she took heart at that. It was a playful gesture. He wouldn't do it if he was feeling awkward, she was almost certain. Feeling daring, she winked at him as she passed his bed, and was rewarded with a faintly calculating expression. 

"Good night," she said, turning in the doorway. 

The pause before his reply was heavy, as if he considered multiple other comments before settling on a simple, "Good night." 

Smiling, Anne made her way back to the apartment, deciding to follow through on the plan she'd made up on the spot. A hot bath and a book actually sounded perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Is Scott telling the truth about having other dreams? What, if anything, is really going on with Virgil and Cathy?


	6. By Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Did I say this mini-fic had seven chapters? I lied. It's eight. Also, just in relation to the first part of this chapter, I know Grandma's whole thing is that she can't cook, but I figured she was at least capable of heating up soup.

**Chapter Six – By Moonlight.**

The next morning, Anne awoke with a raspy sore throat and a pounding headache, and she silently cursed Cathy for sneezing near her for an entire evening. She sent a message to Jeff asking if he could do Scott’s daily check-up, then, since it was the weekend, rolled over and went back to sleep. She wasn’t sure how many hours later it was when her beeping comm woke her. Activating it, she made a faint noise of greeting, seeing Grandma Tracy’s holo materialise in front of her. 

“Have you eaten today, young lady?” the Tracy matriarch asked her, hands on hips. 

“No,” Anne admitted, making an attempt at smoothing her hair down. 

“I’m bringing you soup,” Grandma stated, her tone not to be argued with. “Could you authorise me to come over?” 

Far too weary to question her, Anne nodded, reaching for her tablet to send an instruction to the palm-scanner. Within less than five minutes, she heard her guest arrive and start banging around in the kitchen. Shortly after that, she appeared in the doorway with a tray. 

“Here you are, dear.” 

Anne pushed herself up, receiving the tray on her lap. “Thanks, Grandma T. You didn’t have to do this.” 

When she’d moved in, she’d been instructed to call her Grandma like the boys did, but she hadn’t felt comfortable doing so. Grandma had refused to answer to ‘Mrs. Tracy’ anymore, and so Anne had come up with the compromise that was ‘Grandma T’. Although over time, the kind older woman had become ‘Grandma’ in her head. 

“I know I didn’t have to do it, but everyone deserves chicken soup when they’re sick,” Grandma said firmly, taking a seat on the end of the bed. 

Anne smiled at her, taking a spoonful and feeling it soothe her raw throat. Grandma chatted to her as she ate, telling her about a rescue that had happened while she’d been asleep, and reporting a message that had come in from the hospital saying that if Scott’s cranial scans continued to stay stable, he would be free of the confines of the medical bay in a matter of days. He would still be grounded, but at least he’d have the run of the house. 

Anne took the information in with interest, grateful that he would be able to tackle some of his restlessness, although she knew the continued absence from his duties would irk him. 

When the bowl was empty, Grandma took it back, setting the tray on the floor before pressing the back of her hand to Anne’s forehead. Anne hid a smile, feeling a little like a child again. It was quite a nice feeling. 

“Hmm. Your temperature’s up.”

“It’s just a cold,” Anne assured her. 

“Even still…” She met Anne’s gaze, a sudden spark in her blue eyes indicating that she had an idea. “I’m bringing you over to the house.”

Anne stared at her. “Uh…I’m fine, really. It’s just a…”

“I want to keep an eye on you just the same,” Grandma said fiercely, suddenly a whirlwind of motion as she started gathering essentials into a pile on the bed.

Anne looked at it, spying underwear, clean pyjamas, and her warmest cardigan. Blinking, she wondered what magical grandmotherly powers allowed the older woman to find it all so quickly. 

“Uh…” she spoke up weakly. 

“I’m trained in first aid, you know,” Grandma said conversationally, pulling a backpack from underneath the bed and packing the clothes into it. 

“I…I know.”

“And I have decided that a few days in the medical bay will do you the world of good.”

Anne narrowed her eyes, suddenly seeing her angle. 

Noticing her expression, Grandma shot her a wink. “Can you pack your own toiletries?” 

It was a battle that wasn’t even worth fighting, so Anne nodded, shifted herself out of bed and padded to the bathroom. 

She was permitted to wear slippers and her cardigan for the journey over to the Tracy villa, but Grandma insisted on carrying her bag. Although it was a short trip, Anne’s whole body was starting to ache by the time they reached the medical bay, and she began to think that a few days of rest actually sounded like a wonderful idea, regardless of the ulterior motives. 

Scott was doing some very easy, very non-strenuous stretches by the side of his bed, but he stopped to watch their progress with a look of concern. 

“Everything okay?” 

“You’re getting a roommate for a day or two,” Grandma informed him, practically shooing Anne into a bed. 

Anne obediently kicked off her slippers and lay down, letting out a little sigh as her aching head hit the cool softness of the pillow. 

“Thanks, Grandma T,” she said, catching the old woman’s hand and giving it a little squeeze. 

“You’re welcome,” Grandma said with a smile. “Get some rest.”

Grandma turned to face Scott, who held up his hands. 

“I’m not doing anything.”

She didn’t say anything, but her expression made Scott smile. Then she was gone, and he was turning his attention to Anne. 

“It’s just a cold,” she told him before he could ask. 

He raised sceptical brows. “You’re in the medical bay for a cold?”

“One does not argue with your grandmother when her mind is made up.” 

“Touché,” he conceded, tilting his head. “Do you need anything?”

“Just sleep,” she said, then yawned as if to prove her point. 

Scott sent her a smile. “I’ll keep it down, then.”

She returned the smile. “Thanks.” Shuffling onto her side, facing away from him, she let her eyelids fall closed, sinking into sleep almost at once. 

* * *

Gordon woke her when he delivered their dinner, although he was surprisingly sensitive about it. Anne didn’t have much of an appetite, but ate as much of it as she could manage, grateful that she didn’t have to think about cooking for a little while. Scott, predictably, took her leftovers off her hands. 

Gordon stayed to eat with them and chat, but Anne didn’t participate much. She was still tired, despite doing little but sleep all day. After Gordon had taken his leave, Scott put on a movie. Although he cleared his choice with Anne first, she only got through an hour or so of it before drifting off once more. 

For the first time since the accident, she dreamed of Scott, able to picture his smile and the warmth and love she’d always been able to see in his eyes. She’d purposely avoided thinking about how much she missed seeing it, as the reminder was a cruel one. He touched her cheek, and swept a lock of hair back from her face. His touch felt so real, she mourned the loss of it when he drew back. She threw out her hand, catching his and halting him.

“Don’t go,” she murmured. 

“I won’t be far,” he said reassuringly. “I’m right over there.” 

At the back of her mind, she knew things were different. The scene was darker, his expression was less familiar, albeit still warm, and the hand clasping hers was solid and tangible. But she wasn’t awake enough to do anything but accept his words and let him go. He stepped back, and she drifted deeper into sleep. 

In the morning, she barely remembered it, awakening with a strange sense of confusion that it took her a moment to place. When it finally did come back to her, she glanced over at Scott, wondering how much of it had been real. 

Fortunately, he was awake too, and he sent her a smile. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, her voice a little croaky. “Weird dreams, I think.”

He nodded. “I think you had a nightmare or something. You…seemed upset.” 

Anne felt her cheeks flush, something that hadn’t happened around him since their early interactions. “Did I…grab your hand?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer, but she needed to know. 

He smiled faintly. “Yeah, you did.” 

She couldn’t quite bring herself to apologise, but she did wonder how she was going to explain it. Luckily, he didn’t seem to mind. 

“Did it help?” he asked.

A little surprised, she nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s okay then.” 

She returned his smile, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She hoped Grandma Tracy’s plan in throwing them together was based on her looking endearing, as her faded red tartan pyjamas were the exact opposite of attractive. Not to mention the fact that her nose seemed to be runnier than it had been the day before. 

_Thanks so very much, Cath_ , she thought cynically. 

When Jeff came to bring them breakfast and do Scott’s daily check-up, Anne asked him for the tablet in her office so she could get some work done, and was startled when he refused. 

“Just rest up,” he instructed her. “It’s Sunday.”

“But it’s just a cold,” she protested. 

“And it’ll go faster if you rest,” he insisted. 

For a brief moment, Anne considered reminding him how bad a patient _he’d_ been when he’d returned from the Oort Cloud, but thought better of it. She was very fond of Jeff, but didn’t quite feel confident enough to call him out. 

“Fine,” she relented with a growl. 

Scott stifled a laugh, and she looked at him.

“What?”

“It’s just nice to see the tables turned,” he said, smirking. “I seem to recall you being very insistent about me staying put in here not two weeks ago.” 

“A head injury and a cold are two vastly different things!” 

“Okay, children,” Jeff intervened, closing Scott’s medical record. “If you can’t be nice, I’ll get Kayo to devise some team building exercises.” 

He seemed amused when they both decided that focusing on their oatmeal was preferable. 

Anne wasn’t sure if it was by design, but nobody on Tracy Island seemed to have the time to spare for visits that day. She was fairly confident she could lay the blame at Grandma Tracy’s door, but at one point they heard the distinct rumble of Thunderbird 2 launching, which gave Virgil, at least, a solid excuse. 

Scott looked wistfully towards the window, but he didn’t comment. Instead, they talked about other things, and even watched a couple of movies. It was a pleasant day, considering. Anne took a nap in the afternoon, waking a few hours later with a painfully dry throat. She reached for her glass of water, sighing when she found it empty. She made to get out of bed, but Scott held up a hand.

“It’s okay, I’ll get it.”

He’d taken the glass and headed over to the sink before Anne gathered her wits enough to protest. 

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, watching him approach. 

“I know I don’t. But how can I not step in when there’s a pretty girl in distress?”

Anne froze, staring up at him with wide eyes. He held her gaze, handing her the glass, and she felt the brush of his fingertips against hers. Her mind seemed to have wiped completely blank, and she had no response but self-deprecating humour. 

“Don’t you mean red-nosed snot monster?” 

Scott chuckled, pretending to consider. “That really sounds like more of a Gordonism.”

“He’s a bad influence,” she said lamely. 

He smiled, retreating back to perch on his own bed, and said nothing more. Anne took a sip of water, wanting to kick herself. It was her fault that the moment had been broken. Was he just being playful or had he meant it? She wasn’t sure, and that surprised her. She’d expected to know right away if she was ever successful at capturing his attention in that way again. 

It niggled at her for the rest of the day, although she did her best to hide it from Scott. Despite her earlier weariness, she found herself lying awake after lights out. The room was painted in stripes by the moonlight streaming through a blind left partially open, and she got up to close it. She shrugged on her cardigan rather than get chilly, despite having full intentions of getting straight back in bed. 

On silent feet, she padded past Scott’s bed, sending him a glance as she went. His face was in shadow, but his chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm. At the window, she paused, looking out at the view. The moonlight painted the rocks silver and made the ocean sparkle, and she stood admiring it for a moment, shoving her hands in her pockets. 

Her fingertips brushed the soft surface of a velvet-covered box, and her mood instantly changed. It wasn’t that she’d forgotten it was there, just that she’d chosen to keep it hidden. She pulled it out and opened the lid. She hadn’t dared look at the ring since Scott had first presented it to her, and her throat tightened a little as she saw it again. It too caught the moonlight, its faceted stones glittering as she moved it. She swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she sighed softly. 

“What am I doing?” she asked herself, in a whisper so quiet it barely qualified as words. 

“Everything okay?” came a voice raspy from sleep. 

Startled, Anne turned, just in time to see Scott propping himself up on his elbows. Too late, she considered the ring, and saw his eyes dart to it. Expression clearing into further wakefulness, he sat up, frowning as he took in her expression. Anne snapped the box shut, returning it to her pocket. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said. 

“You’re engaged?” he asked her, the surprise evident in his voice. 

“Uh…no. Not officially. Not at all, really,” she explained poorly, shutting the blind as she’d intended to do. 

“What happened?” 

Anne displayed her irritated, panicked expressions to the closed blind before pivoting back around. It was much darker without the moonlight, but Scott activated a dim night-light on the wall, bathing them both in warm yellow. 

“Uh…” she began, fumbling for what to say. “He…he’s gone. Might not be back.” 

Scott’s brow furrowed, and his voice was endearingly angry on her behalf. “He _left_ you?”

“No! No, he…he didn’t want to go. There was an accident…” She knew what she was saying didn’t make sense, but she was still trying to decide what to do. In the end, she took the easy route. “I…I can’t talk about it, I’m sorry. I’m going to go back to bed. Good night.”

She walked past him, feeling his gaze on her the whole time. She hung her cardigan over the end of her bed and climbed back into the cooling sheets. Scott turned the light off, but it was a long time before he fell asleep. Anne remained awake, wondering if she’d done the smart thing by lying. By the time dawn started to brighten things up, she was still second-guessing herself. 

As a result, she was tired the next day, her eyes sore to accompany her aching head and throat. Fortunately, Jeff didn’t seem to expect her to work. In a strange turnaround, Scott was given permission to leave the medical bay during the day, so long as he returned there in the evenings for his scan, and Anne found herself the sole occupant. Since she wanted to catch up on sleep, she didn’t much mind, but it felt awkward to feel distant from Scott after the conversation the previous night. 

After lunch, Gordon came to visit her, and she was supremely glad to see him, needing to get his advice. Before she could spill her story, however, he had things to say himself. 

“So I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” he said, plopping himself down on the end of her bed. 

“What’s the bad news?” she asked. 

“Scott seems to be under the impression that you’re pining for a lost would-be fiancé,” Gordon said without hesitation. 

Anne gave a listless shrug. “Technically he’s not wrong.” 

“Yes, but he thinks it’s someone else. Which brings me to the good news. He definitely has feelings for you. Uh…again.” 

She studied him quizzically, hoping he would elaborate. 

“He’s feeling guilty,” Gordon went on. “For having feelings for you when you’re in love with someone else, and for misreading the signs. Congrats, Anne, you both completed your mission and simultaneously screwed it up.” 

He said it teasingly, telling her that he had no doubts whatsoever that the situation would sort itself out. 

“And you know this how?” she asked.

Gordon shrugged. “I overheard him talking to Virgil.”

“What did Virgil say?” 

“I don’t know. I got busted by MAX at that point and had to retreat.” His manner shifted to sudden seriousness. “Anne, I think you need to tell him the truth now.” 

“I don’t know,” she protested, quashing an irrational wave of fear. “He still doesn’t look at me the way he used to. I don’t know if I can…” 

“He will again in time,” Gordon said soothingly. “I truly believe that. Whether it’s because his memories come back or because he’ll just fall harder over time.” 

She huffed, knowing he was right. It was one thing to withhold some truths, and quite another to have things misinterpreted. She’d done the damage, she needed to fix it. 

“When I get out of here, I will,” she assured him. “I’m hoping to get back to normal tomorrow. Do you think waiting a day is unfair?”

“Nah,” he said, waving a casual hand. “It won’t do him any harm to reflect on the way he feels.” 

She wasn’t sure he was right, but neither was she ready to tell the truth. At the very least, she needed to shower and get dressed before she started that conversation. And she still had the evening to get through, when Scott would be back in the medical bay. 

“Thanks, Gordon,” she said, throwing him a quick smile. “You always have my back.” 

“Hey, you’re my OTP,” he said brightly, patting her on the foot before getting to his feet. “I have to go and freshen up. Penelope’s anchoring FAB2 in the bay for the night so we can have dinner.”

“Oh, nice. Have fun.”

He grinned. “That’s the plan.”

His cheeriness was infectious, and Anne felt a shade more positive as she settled back down. Truthfully, she was restless now that she had tasks ahead of her. If she’d gotten a full night’s sleep, she suspected she’d be up and about as usual. Her cold hadn’t been a bad one, and it looked like she’d avoided passing it to anyone else. That wasn’t entirely unexpected. The Tracy boys kept themselves in such good shape, they usually threw off minor illnesses with ease. She had been a little concerned about Jeff and Grandma T, but they seemed to be fine. 

Briefly, she considered slipping back to her apartment, but knew that would be cowardly. And would raise unwanted questions. It was better to stay put and try and act as normally as possible for the evening. It couldn’t be any harder than what she’d already been doing.


	7. The Ring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I've been so unproductive this week, it feels so wrong. At the most I think I've managed to write half a one-shot. And that was just because I decided to trap myself in the bedroom with my laptop and my fiancé kept bringing me tea. Here's hoping next week will be better.

**Chapter Seven – The Ring.**

As it happened, the evening had been relatively normal. Scott had returned shortly after dinner, having been able to dine with his family for the first time since the accident. After some friendly but distant discussion, they’d watched another movie, then Scott had buried himself in a book for the rest of the evening. Anne reflected on it all as she combed conditioner through her hair with her fingertips. He hadn’t been cold to her by any means, but he was back to being polite, which had been a stark wake-up call about the progress they’d made since he lost his memories. It had confirmed what she already knew: Gordon was right, she had to tell him the truth. 

Ducking her head further under the shower, Anne rinsed off the conditioner, comparing Scott’s polite manner to the one she’d grown used to over the past few weeks. It still wasn’t the one she craved, but it was well on the way to it. She’d regained so much ground in such little time that she could only conclude that he still loved her, even if it was buried deep in his subconscious. It took some of her fear away. Although she was still a little apprehensive about the forthcoming conversation, she was now at least sure it would eventually have a positive outcome, and she felt some of her anxiety ease. 

Looking and smelling like a human again after multiple days spent in bed also helped. 

After stepping out of the shower and towel-drying her hair, Anne got dressed in jeans and a vest top, trying to decide if she should bother with make-up before seeking out Scott, or whether she was just delaying. Her make-up bag was back at the apartment, as it hadn’t been important to bring to the medical bay. Scott had seen her at the low point of her cold-induced grunginess. Anything better than that was a considerable improvement.

It was fortunate that she thought so, as he was standing in the medical bay when she emerged from the bathroom, making her halt in her tracks. 

Looking at him with startled eyes, she realised he was holding the ring box, its lid open. If it had been anyone else who had rifled through her pockets, she would have been indignant. As it was, she was simply startled. 

“We need to talk,” he said. 

Anne had been so set on the notion that she’d have to go and find _him_ , it took her a few seconds to catch up. Jolting herself into motion, she started walking again, coming to a stop by her bed and dropping her toiletry bag onto it. 

“Yes,” she agreed. “I was going to come find you this morning, actually. I need to talk to you about…”

“Is it me?” he interrupted in a rush. 

Puzzled, she frowned at him. “What?”

“Because I can’t stop thinking about this,” he went on, as if she hadn’t spoken. Gesturing with the box, he said, “This ring is _exactly_ the kind of thing I would pick.”

Clarity hit her at once, and her mouth fell open in surprise. 

“And sometimes the way you look at me,” Scott added, “when you think I’m not looking, and the way I’ve come to feel about you… And what you said. The man you loved…there was an accident, you might not get him back… I thought you were being literal, but…maybe you weren’t. I need to know the truth, Anne… Is it me?” 

She exhaled shakily, feeling, absurdly, as if she wanted to laugh. She’d been psyching herself up for the conversation all morning, and he’d just swept in and summarised everything on his own. Laughing would have been entirely the wrong response, however, and she quashed it. 

“Yes,” she said gently, “it’s you.” 

He let out a rush of breath, some of the tension in his shoulders easing. “So I don’t have to feel guilty for wanting to kiss you?”

She did laugh at that, feeling the prickle of tears at the corners of her eyes. “No,” she assured him, smiling. 

Scott smiled too, approaching her, stopping half a step away. “May I?” he murmured. 

“I don’t want you to get my cold,” Anne felt obliged to say, her heartbeat increasing with his nearness, as if it truly was the first time all over again. 

“I’ll take the risk,” he declared, cupping her jaw and pressing his lips to hers. 

It was wonderfully familiar, and she stepped closer, relishing the feeling of his arms tight around her. He moved seemingly instinctively, kissing her the way he always did, as if he knew every inch of her. It did not feel like a first kiss, and he seemed to agree, judging by the slightly puzzled frown he wore when they drew apart. She could not help beaming at him, her relief and elation shining through the defences she could finally lower. He smiled back in response, but it was clear he still had things on his mind.

“Why aren’t you wearing it?” he asked her. “The ring.”

Brought back down to reality by the question, Anne sobered a touch, moving back to sit on the edge of her bed. Scott did likewise, and she turned sideways to face him. 

“I never had the chance to give you my answer,” she explained. “The emergency call interrupted your proposal. You…told me to tell you when you got back, only…”

“I couldn’t remember,” he realised. “Holy shit. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” 

He met her gaze, blue eyes intense. “So tell me now.”

Gently, Anne shook her head. “No, Scott,” she said softly. “Not yet. From your perspective, you’ve known me less than three weeks, you can’t possibly want to marry me. That’s why I didn’t tell you the truth from the start. I needed whatever we had to be real, and I know you’d stay with me if you felt guilty about what happened. I didn’t want that for either of us.” He looked on the verge of speaking, and she held up a hand. “Wait, just…let me get this out. Please. We’ve been together about two years, lived together for a year and a half. We have a shared history that led us to this.” She gestured to the ring that he still held. “Can you honestly say that you’ve caught up to all that since you’ve known me this time around?”

“I don’t know,” he told her with blunt honesty. “I have no way of knowing what’s new and what’s instinct. I do know that I love you.”

Anne glanced at him in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to use those words for a while, and although she was glad to hear them, she wasn’t sure how he could have come to care for her that much in so short a time. 

Scott acknowledged her reaction with a nod. “I know it’s quick. If this had been any other situation, I’d be cynical about how fast it happened, but…once I admitted to myself that I had feelings for you, I just seemed to…to…jump ahead. I know it sounds stupid, but…maybe there’s some subconscious thing going on here.” Shifting a little awkwardly, he said, “I had other dreams. I assumed they were just fantasies, but…now I’m wondering if they’re more memories. Some of them were…uh…”

Anne couldn’t help her amusement, even though she found herself blushing. 

Scott smirked too, although he seemed a touch embarrassed. “Do you, uh…have a birthmark on your hip?”

Her smile widened. “Yeah, I do. It looks like a…”

“Mountain,” he finished for her. 

“Yes.” 

They smiled at each other, then fell into a brief, companionable silence. 

“Anne,” Scott said at length, breaking it.

“Yes?”

“I do love you, and it feels completely new and like an old friend all at once. I honestly don’t have any doubts that this belongs to you and that you’ll wear it,” he said, handing her the ring box, “but…you’re right that we need to take some time first. If you’ll wait.” 

She accepted it, holding it in both hands. “It won’t be waiting. It’ll be moving forward together. And…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “As much as I love the idea of marrying you, it’s not essential. I just want to be with you. I love you.”

“Even if I never get my memories back?”

“Of course. You’re still the same person.” 

He smiled briefly, then glanced at his lap. “Shared histories are important, though.” He sent her a sidelong glance, meeting her gaze. “Tell me everything about us. Catch me up. I don’t want you to be the only one who knows it, even if I never remember it.”

“That could take a while.”

“I’m grounded,” he said dryly. “I’ve got the time.” 

She nudged him with her shoulder. “Yes, but I’m supposed to be back at work today.” 

“I’ll write you a note.” 

Anne laughed, “You may outrank me, but your dad outranks _you_ , so good luck with that.”

He shrugged, standing up to fetch his tablet from his own bed. “‘Dear Mr. Tracy,’” he recited as he typed. “‘Anne won’t be coming to work today because I need a personal history lesson. Kind regards, Scott Tracy.’” He tapped Send. “There. You’re off the hook.” 

She shook her head, smiling fondly. “Okay. Let me do your check-up, then…I guess I should take you home.” 

He obediently sat on his bed so she could run the scan. “Home… Right, I wouldn’t still live in my old room.” 

She found it interesting that he referred to it as his ‘old room’ when from his perspective, it was just his room. She wasn’t sure if she could read anything into it, though. 

After Anne had updated the medical record, they walked through the Tracy villa to the elevator down to the tunnels. Jeff sent his son an exasperated look as they passed his office door, but said nothing. When they emerged in their sunlit living room, Scott looked around in amazement. 

“Wow, this is _ours_?”

“Yep,” Anne answered, dropping her bag in a chair. 

He ventured through to the bedroom and then the bathroom, perhaps hoping that the sight of them would trigger something. 

“Do you want coffee?” Anne asked him when he returned to the lounge. “This could take a while.”

“Yeah, thanks.” 

She went through the routine of activating the coffee maker, selecting two mugs, adding cream and sugar in one of them because Scott took his black and unsweetened. When she headed over to where he’d perched on the couch, he wore a faint frown. 

“I’m getting some serious déjà vu,” he told her.

“That’s good, I think,” she said, setting the mugs on coasters. “You’ve watched me make coffee hundreds of times.” 

He acknowledged her words with a nod, and leaned back against the cushions, one elbow propped up along the back. “Okay. Tell me about us.” 

Anne accepted the weighty task, organising her thoughts. “You’re testing _my_ memory here, you do realise that?”

He smiled. “I’m sure you can handle it.” 

She sighed, clasping her hands in her lap. “Okay, so…I was working as Tim’s replacement while he was on long-term sick, and I realised I needed the authorisation of a Tracy in order to get things done. So I decided to contact you to get you to come in. You were _not_ an easy man to get a hold of, let me tell you.” 

Scott grinned sheepishly, not looking at all surprised. 

“We exchanged a few comm calls before I finally got you in the office. I didn’t know about International Rescue, so I…just assumed you were an entitled prick, and I was not predisposed to like you. At _all_. But then you walked in and you were annoyingly attractive, _and_ you weren’t a total asshole. In hindsight, I should have known how things would snowball from there.”

“What happened? At that first meeting?”

Anne shrugged one shoulder, feeling again the sting of that old embarrassment. “I yelled at you, you yelled back, we parted with grudging apologies, and I was convinced that I’d never see you again. But you came back. And kept coming back…” 

It took multiple cups of coffee to soothe Anne’s still-recovering throat for her to relay everything she could remember about their time together. Even then, she was sure she’d missed things out, but the important highlights were there. They both seemed to be painfully aware that Scott having the knowledge was not the same as him having lived through and experienced it all, but it was something. 

“What’s our daily life like?” he asked her when they’d exhausted their general history. “I mean, what’s the routine, how often do we see my family, that sort of thing.” 

“We see them every day, pretty much,” she told him. “I mean, we both work over at the main island. My work is Monday to Friday, and I keep my hours mostly the same as I did when I lived in Los Angeles. The time difference means I only get a few hours of overlap for conference calls, but I make it work. My weekends are spent here unless I go to the mainland for something. Obviously you know rescue calls don’t have set hours, but even if there aren’t any, you go over to the island every day for downtime work. You do maintenance on Thunderbird 1, training, working alongside Brains on upgrades, all kinds of things.”

“Do I take weekends off?” 

“And evenings,” Anne said with a little smile. “Unless there’s a callout, of course. We eat dinner with the family at least once a week. When we’re home, we take it in turns to make dinner, but I always take over if you’re called away. We watch things together or get on with our own hobbies. Sometimes we go over to the main island to use the pool or walk on the beach.”

“Sounds pretty nice,” Scott said appreciatively. 

“It is,” she agreed. “We’ve been really happy.”

He reached out to take her hand, thumb brushing soothingly across the back of it. “We’ll go on being happy,” he assured her. “Even if it’s a little different to start with.” 

She smiled at him, squeezing his hand. “I know. It’s just…” She trailed off, working past the sudden lump in her throat. “It’s been…really tough. _Really_ tough.” 

Scott scooted closer, clasping her shoulder and gently rubbing her arm. “I know. What with everything you’ve told me…I’m sorry I’ve put you through this.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” she told him firmly. “It was an accident. It could have happened any time.” 

“All the same, I _am_ sorry. I’m going to do my utmost to make it up to you somehow.”

Anne sent him a fond smile. “Just heal so that you can move out of the medical bay. That would be nice.” 

“It would,” he agreed. “Although I can’t complain about the food.” 

She let out a dramatic sigh. “You Tracys, always thinking with your stomachs.” 

“Could be worse,” he said with an impish grin, “I could be thinking with my…”

“Point taken,” Anne interrupted, holding up a hand. 

Scott laughed, sliding his hand up to the back of her neck. Anne placed her palm on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. They simply stared at each other for a long moment, having one of the silent conversations they’d once been so proficient at. Both moved at the same time, meeting in the middle for a lingering, surprisingly chaste kiss. 

The beeping of the household comm interrupted things before they could grow more heated, which Anne thought was probably for the best. She wasn’t sure what the hospital considered strenuous exercise, but they should probably take things slowly anyway. 

Pulling back, Anne tapped a button on the edge of the coffee table, and Virgil’s hologram appeared above it. 

“Hey,” he began. “I thought you might be here. Dad wants to know if you two are eating with us this evening.”

Anne sent Scott an inquisitive look, leaving the decision up to him. 

“Sounds good,” he said to his brother. “Does he want a hand?” 

“Nah, Alan’s helping.” Virgil reached out as if to deactivate the holo, then remembered something else. “Oh, by the way, John’s coming down for dinner on Thursday and he’s bringing Ridley with him so you can meet her again.” 

“Okay, we’ll be there for that. I’d like to meet her. Again.” Considering, Scott added, “Do I like her?”

Virgil seemed amused, but answered readily enough. “Yes, we all like her. She’s nice.” 

“Okay, that’s good.”

“We’ll see you two in a little bit then,” Virgil said before vanishing. 

In the silence that followed, Scott turned to Anne. “Guess we should catch people up to…” He gestured between them. “You know…us.” 

She nodded. “Good idea.” 

His expression turned slightly quizzical. “Does everyone know? About the ring?” 

“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “Only Gordon. He came to find me when I was upset at the hospital, and I told him then.” 

Scott looked relieved, nodding pensively. “That’s good. It feels like there’s less pressure if no one else knows. Although…Virgil will probably have guessed by now.”

“I get that, but there’s no pressure regardless,” Anne stated firmly. 

He smiled at her adamant tone. “I know that,” he said, leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. “Come on, let’s go join the family. Unless that’s me thinking with my stomach again.” 

She accepted his hand in standing up, and nudged him with her shoulder. “I’ll allow it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just one more chapter of this particular storyline to wrap things up, then it's on to other things.


	8. The Answer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here we are at the final chapter of this storyline, but it's not the end for these characters just yet.

**Chapter Eight – The Answer.**

It took almost three months, but the doctors finally gave Scott the all-clear to return to his duties after he showed no signs of the blackouts they’d been worried about. As a precaution, however, Gordon or Alan travelled with him in Thunderbird 1, so they could take over if need be. Fortunately, they weren’t needed, and he even started talking about teaching Anne how to fly his precious ship, something that surprised them all. 

“Uh…why?” she protested when the thought came up. “I’m not going on any rescues, and I am _definitely_ not wearing a bodysuit.” 

He chuckled. “Just as back-up,” he assured her. “Just in case.”

“In case of what?” Anne argued. “What situation could possibly require the least-experienced pilot in the fastest Bird?” 

“We don’t know,” he countered. “That’s why it would be back-up. Then when you’re comfortable with it, we can move you onto Thunderbird 2.”

She threw up her hands in immediate protest. “No way. I can’t be trusted with a ship that size! I’ll land it wrong and crush a building or something. No. Absolutely not.” 

Scott shrugged, grinning, and Anne knew the subject was only temporarily dropped. She could see the sense in every member of International Rescue being fully trained to operate every vehicle, but she was so far down the line behind other, more competent people, that she really didn’t think she should count. 

Over his first few weeks back on duty, Scott adapted to his loss of memory, spending much of his free time reading old mission logs, familiarising himself with the newer equipment, and getting accounts from his brothers the same way he had from Anne. Things returned almost to normal, although sometimes someone would reference something that Scott would seem confused about, or he was unable to join in reminiscing. 

Scott and Anne fell into a new routine together. It was similar to the old one in many ways, but much like the Tracys, Anne was constantly aware of the changes. Scott’s memory gaps cropped up in multiple unexpected ways. Just small things, like old inside jokes or insignificant parts of their history, but they always served to remind them both what they’d lost. Scott occasionally seemed awkward when he didn’t remember something, and Anne had bouts of wistfulness, but mostly she was grateful for what she _did_ have. He was alive and well, and he was proving every day that he loved her. She was no longer worried about him staying out of a sense of duty or nobility. 

At Christmas, he happily reminisced about earlier years with the others, having the added joy of experiencing Jeff’s first Christmas back home all over again. When Virgil and Cathy got up to entertain them all with the songs they’d rehearsed, he admitted to Anne that he could see why they teased them. Virgil’s proficient piano playing matched well with Cathy’s clear, bright voice, and they performed fluidly together. It was a wonderful day for all of them, and turned out to be the first Christmas Day in six years without a rescue call, which was a new record. 

Towards the end of January, Anne had to travel to Switzerland with Lady Penelope to represent Tracy Enterprises in a potential business venture with one of Penelope’s associates. Because it was Penelope’s idea, she arranged everything, which resulted in Anne staying in a hotel even swankier than the one from her time in Australia following Gordon’s hospitalisation. 

“You would not believe the size of this room!” she commented to Scott when she called to report her safe arrival. “The bathtub alone is bigger than our entire bathroom.” 

“I wish I could get the time to come and share it with you,” he said with an impish grin. 

“Wow, I did _not_ need to hear that,” came Alan’s quiet voice. 

“Haven’t you got work to be doing?” Scott said. 

“I’m getting a snack!” 

Anne smiled at their banter, missing home. “I have to go and prepare for this meeting,” she said, drawing his attention. “If all goes well, I’ll be back by Wednesday.” 

“It’ll go well,” he said with certainty.

“How can you be so sure?”

He shrugged casually. “I have faith in you.”

His faith, as it turned out, was not misplaced. Two days later, Anne was flying back to Tracy Island, having secured the financial backing of one of Penelope’s fussiest associates, with surprisingly little contribution from Penelope herself. After the journey and the change of time zone, it was the early hours of the morning when she landed. Yawning, she dragged her tiny suitcase out of the plane’s luggage compartment and took the shortcut through the hangar to the tunnel transport. Now that she’d stopped having to concentrate on flying, her tiredness had caught up with her.

Stepping quietly off the elevator in the lounge, she smiled at the idea of surprising Scott, although she doubted she’d be able to simply sneak into bed. He slept incredibly lightly; a by-product of the more military-like aspects of his job. 

Sure enough, he woke as soon as she entered the bedroom. It was still dark outside, although the sky had lightened enough for her to see the look of sleepy contentment on his face when he realised it was her. Smiling back, Anne quickly got changed into her nightwear and slipped under the covers. 

Scott lifted an arm, and she scooted up to his side, throwing a leg over his. He was deliciously warm, and she felt for an instant like she was embracing sunlight personified. He still had his eyes closed as he turned his face blindly towards her, and she obligingly kissed him. Happy to be home, she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling him press his lips to her forehead. Then he froze, tensing under her. 

“What is it?” she asked at once, alarmed. 

“You…your hair,” he muttered. 

Anne pushed herself up on her elbow, looking down at him. He was motionless on the pillow, eyes closed. He might have been sleeping but for the rigid set of his shoulders. Alarmed, Anne cupped his cheek with her palm. 

“Scott?” 

His eyelids fluttered open, and he blinked, an expression of utter confusion on his face. It lasted for a mere few seconds before clarity returned to his eyes, and he fixed them on her. He reached up, catching a lock of her hair between his fingers. 

“This shampoo,” he said, “it was in the hotel in Australia.” 

Anne frowned at him, then realised he was right. The hotels Penelope chose were often owned by the same company, and they used the same products. Hard on the heels of that realisation was a bigger, more significant one. 

“You remember that?” 

His face was cautious, wary, but he nodded. “Yeah. I…I remember.” Growing more urgent, he gripped her shoulder. “Quick, test me!”

“Uh…” She struggled to organise her thoughts, trying to think of something she hadn’t relayed to him in his personal history lesson. There was much about Australia that she’d felt a little too self-conscious to talk about at that moment. “Did our hotel room have a bathtub?”

“No,” he replied, smiling at the memory. “But it had a huge shower, and we spent quite a bit of time in it.” 

Anne laughed, recalling it too. It had been…logistically interesting. 

“I…I’ve still got blanks,” Scott told her, and she sobered. “But…I remember Australia, I remember Gordon getting hurt… I remember Bramen and the _Calypso_ … That…that might be it.”

“For now,” Anne assured him, rubbing his arm. “Looks like it’s going to come back in bits and pieces.” 

He nodded, looking frustrated and pleased in equal measure. “I hope so. But…Australia, Anne! That means I remember the first time we kissed.” 

She grinned, settling back down and tucking her head under his chin. “You always did remember it. Subconsciously, anyway. There’s no way you would have kissed me the way you did in the med bay otherwise.” 

His arms tightened around her. “True.” As if to prove it, he lifted her chin and kissed her again, taking his time, and she ran her fingers through his hair, lightly touching the scar that had healed much more cleanly than his mind had. 

After that first big trigger, they found pieces falling into place in Scott’s mind at semi-frequent intervals. Some of them he didn’t even notice, until he made some casual remark that indicated a returned memory. His cranial scans continued to be normal, and the doctor confirmed that his brain was simply healing itself. 

A full six months after the accident, Scott and Anne were sitting on the upper gallery in the lounge at the Tracy villa, watching Virgil playing the piano on the level below while the rest of the family sat and listened. 

“I remembered something else today,” Scott spoke up in a whisper, leaning close over the arms of their separate chairs. 

She mimicked him, leaning towards him to respond. “Oh?”

“When I asked you to move here, and when you said you would.” 

Anne sent him a fond little smile. “That was a good moment,” she hissed back.

He nodded. “I…I think it’s all back now,” he told her. “I don’t feel like I’ve got any blanks. I might be wrong, but…I’m pretty sure I can remember everything. Everything important, anyway.” 

Anne met his gaze, truly _looked_ at him in a way she hadn’t in a while. A rush of gratitude and relief bubbled up inside her as she recognised what had crept back so gradually that she hadn’t noticed: the old look in his eyes, the two years’ plus worth of love and fondness that she knew he saw matched in hers. She’d been happy with the progress they’d made, content simply to have him back in any capacity, but she couldn’t deny how her heart leapt to see it and know it again. 

“I love you so much,” she murmured, almost feeling overwhelmed.

He looked a little surprised at her heartfelt words, but touched. “And I love you. So much so that…I have memories of falling in love with you twice.”

She smiled at that. “Not many people can say that, I guess.” 

“True.” 

He’d leaned so close that their noses were scarcely an inch apart, and Anne felt grateful that the only person who could see them from below was Virgil, and he was angled the wrong way. 

“I was wondering,” Scott whispered, fixing her with a sincere look, “…can I have my answer now?”

She knew at once what he meant, and her eyes widened. It was strange to be both surprised and unsurprised by a question. She didn’t keep either of them waiting any longer, sending him a soft smile. 

“My answer is yes,” she told him, nudging his nose with hers. “As if it could ever be anything else.” 

He smiled, and their lips met, while Virgil played a fittingly happy piece of film music below. 

“I guess we should make sure that this ring fits, after all this…” Scott said when they parted, drawing the box out of his pocket. 

Anne eyed it in mild surprise, having been fairly sure it was safely in her sock drawer back at the apartment. Opening it, Scott plucked the ring from its cushion and finally slipped it onto her finger, where it sat comfortably, glinting in the soft light. 

“It’s perfect,” she breathed. She was not a jewellery person normally, but jewellery that meant something…she could get behind that. 

Scott let out a breath that stirred her hair, and she realised he was relieved about the fit. It was endearing, and she sent him a fond look, leaning in to kiss him once more. 

“Can you stop canoodling while I’m trying to play?” came Virgil’s voice.

Belatedly, Anne noticed that the piece was finished, and when she drew back from Scott, she saw that Virgil had pivoted on the piano stool and was smirking up at them. 

“Can’t a man canoodle with his fiancée in peace?” Scott asked. 

“You literally have an entire apartment to do that in,” Gordon said, standing up so he could see up to the gallery. “No reason for you to do it…hold on.” He interrupted and halted himself, a grin spreading over his face. “What did you call her?”

Scott grinned back. “My fiancée.” 

Anne laughed as everyone started talking over each other, some standing too. Alan even stood on the couch cushions. Amid the chorus of well wishes and congratulations, Anne turned to Scott.

“Should we go down there?” 

“I think we have to.” 

Hands linked, they both stood and made for the stairs, walking down into a mass of hugs from everyone except Brains, who seemed content to shake their hands. The ring was admired, (mostly by Grandma), and everyone started asking for details they hadn’t even considered yet. Scott put a stop to that by raising a hand, gaining silence almost at once.

“We literally just got engaged,” he said firmly. “When we have plans or news, we’ll tell you. Until then, calm down!” 

“How can we be calm?” Alan asked. “You’re getting married!” 

“Can I be your best man?” Gordon put in, making everyone laugh because he’d addressed it to Anne, not Scott. 

“Uh…sure,” she answered with a shrug. “Why should only the groom get one?”

“Exactly.” 

“In that case, I claim Kayo as a groomsmaid,” Scott retorted. 

“Groomsmaid?” the woman in question repeated. “Fine, but I’m not giving a speech.” 

“Guys!” 

Another voice cut through, and everyone stopped talking, turning to look at John’s hologram, which had materialised above the coffee table and had clearly been trying to get their attention. 

“What is it, John?” Jeff said. 

“We’ve got a situation. A film crew in Thailand have got themselves stranded by rock fall, and the authorities can’t reach them where they are. There’s a chance of more falls if the rain gets any heavier.” 

At his words, Virgil, Gordon and Alan started to move into action. Scott paused long enough to peck Anne on the lips, and she looked up into his face. Inevitably, she was reminded of what had happened the first time they’d tried to get engaged, and judging by his expression, so was he. In the mere second he spared to meet her gaze, she was able to convey her concern and her confidence in him, and was able to see his reassurance in return. Then he was moving away, jogging to the wall lamps. 

Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Grandma took her arm, leading her to the seating area while Jeff, Brains and Kayo followed. 

“Hey, uh…what were you all doing?” John asked. 

“Celebrating an engagement,” Grandma told him with a grin.

In a swift, calculating glance, John seemed to decide that it definitely wasn’t Gordon and Penelope, and sent Anne a warm smile. “Congratulations.” 

“Thanks,” she replied. “Your physical presence will be required at the ceremony.”

His smile widened. “Noted.” 

Anne took a seat next to Grandma, while Brains and Kayo occupied the other couch. Jeff retreated to sit at his desk, as he was wont to do during a rescue, whether he contributed or not. John’s hologram remained, but he was clearly concentrating on the information in front of him. 

For the next two hours, they listened to the comm chatter, which largely consisted of Gordon being smug that his uniform was designed to get wet while the rest of them were miserable in the rain. They managed to hold back additional rock falls while they extracted the film crew, who mostly seemed grateful with the exception of the director, who was just annoyed at the delay in production. After dropping them all safely in the nearest town, Thunderbirds 1 and 2 headed for home. 

“Make sure you all change out of your uniforms before you set foot in the house,” Grandma ordered them sternly. “I don’t want to see anyone dripping Thai rainwater on my floors.” 

“We always do, Grandma,” Alan reminded her. 

“I’m including the elevators, young man,” she added in a growl. “You can change in the hangar.” 

A chorus of protests floated back to her, the main complaint seeming to be that none of them had clothes in the hangar. Anne got to her feet, and chatter died down as the holo picked her up. 

“I’m heading down there now with towels and bathrobes,” she announced. 

“Scott, marry that girl,” Gordon quipped.

“That’s the plan,” Scott replied lightly. 

“I don’t know why _you’re_ so happy,” Anne said to Gordon. “Since your suit is waterproof, you can just get changed the usual way.” 

“I know, but I wanted to feel involved,” Gordon shot back. 

Anne shook her head, climbing the steps out of the seating area. She caught Jeff’s eye, and he sent her a grin, nodding his thanks that she was helping his boys keep his mother happy. 

“I’m going to head straight home once I’ve dropped off the towels,” she announced to the room. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

She smiled as the usual ‘goodnight’s were interspersed with additional ‘congratulations’’, and left the lounge, trekking up to the linen closet to grab three large towels and robes before heading for the elevator down to the hangar. She left Virgil’s and Alan’s in tidy piles near where Thunderbird 2 would cruise to a stop, and Scott’s next to Thunderbird 1’s passenger lift, making the assumption that he would use that and head straight home. 

A warning siren told her that she’d run out of time to change her mind: the ship was on its way back down. Deciding to wait, Anne perched on the stairs up to the next level, and watched as the silver rocket descended from its launch pad, coming to a stop in front of Thunderbird 3. As she’d predicted, Scott emerged from the passenger hatch, looking as if he’d taken a dip in the pool on his way down. 

“Wow,” she said, when the lift drew close enough.

“My socks are wet,” he complained with a wrinkled nose, stepping off it and making a soft but distinctive squelching sound.

Anne laughed, getting up and traipsing down the stairs. She took the laundry bag he was carrying out of his hand, offering to hold it while he got changed. 

“What, no hug?” he said with false surprise, opening his arms. There were still small droplets of water coming off his sleeves, even after the journey. 

“It’s postponed,” she told him firmly, gesturing with the laundry bag. 

With a gusty sigh, he began to strip off all the parts of his uniform that weren’t fabric, dropping them into the bag. They wouldn’t be cleaned with the rest, but Brains always gave everything a cursory glance after it was used, to ensure that nothing needed repairing. Next came the gloves, the boots, the objectionable socks, and finally the suit itself. 

“Underwear?” Anne asked innocently. 

He fixed her with a narrow-eyed look. “It can wait. I’m not getting naked in here. It’ll be on the security holo log for weeks.” 

Smirking, she pulled the drawstring to close up the laundry bag while Scott shrugged on the bathrobe. Once he’d tied the belt, he took the bag to the nearest goods lift. The small box-like elevators took items quickly between the hangar and the house, and Brains had been forward-thinking enough to install plenty of them around the lower levels of the island. Someone the other end – most likely Grandma, unless she made one of the others do it – would sort out whatever came up from the hangar and made sure it got to where it was going. 

That done, they headed for the door through to the tunnels, Scott towelling his hair as they walked. Anne glanced at him, amused. 

“What?” he said. 

“You look like you’ve just come from a spa or something,” she observed. 

“I wish. A spa would have been warmer.” 

Anne drifted closer, slipping an arm around his waist, stirring him to drape his across her shoulders. 

“I’ll hug you now,” she declared. “You’re all fluffy.” 

“Exactly what I aspire to be,” Scott said dryly, making her laugh. 

Once back at their apartment, Scott immediately headed for a hot shower while Anne got ready for bed, lamenting that he was steaming up the mirror while she was trying to take her make-up off. Since being warm again was improving his mood, he seemed largely unrepentant. 

When she was changed and settled under the covers, Anne glanced at her left hand, admiring the ring once again. Not only was it beautiful, serving as proof that Scott had excellent taste, but it represented the difficult time they’d overcome to get to where they were. There would be more difficult times ahead. There always were. But she hoped they’d face them together, rather than being parted in some way. 

Sighing, she slipped the ring off, putting it safely back into its box until the morning. Scott entered the room, clicking off the light in the hallway, and joined her, lying on his side so they were face to face. He lifted a hand, resting it on her bare arm and caressing lightly with his thumb. 

“Thank you,” he said softly. 

“For what?” 

“For everything. For not giving up on me. For being willing to do what you did while I had the memory gaps.” His face wore a troubled look, but he carried on. “I can’t imagine any version of me that wouldn’t fall for you, but…thank you for accepting the possibility and…”

“Accepting that I might have to give you up?” she finished for him.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

Anne sighed, not happy to relive those upsetting potentials. “I love you, Scott. That means I’d let you go if you wanted me to. I’d hate it,” she said, feeling as if it was a bit of an understatement, “but I’d do it.” 

“I know. I would too.” 

Determined to lighten the mood, she reached up and cupped his cheek. “Unfortunately for you, you proposed and I accepted, which means you’re stuck with me.”

He smiled. “I don’t think so, Ms. Ashton. Not until the ceremony. And besides, you’re stuck with _me_.” 

“I can live with that,” she said with a grin. 

“Me too.” 

The hand on her arm slipped to her back as he pulled her closer, and their lips met. 

“Are you ready to plan a wedding, then?” Anne asked when they parted, knowing it was going to be the main topic of speculation on the island until it actually happened.

“Sure,” Scott said, shrugging the shoulder he wasn’t leaning on. “How hard can it be?” 

She sent him a withering look. “What is wrong with you?”

He grinned, fingertips tracing a blazing trail under the back of her vest top. “So many things.” 

Anne laughed, meeting his kiss, deciding not to worry about wedding planning until tomorrow. After all, it wasn’t like anyone on Tracy Island was going to let her forget about it. Instead, she focused on the here and now, and the fact that, despite all the setbacks, Scott Tracy was her fiancé.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First one-shot should be up in a few days. We have a lot of family stuff, wedding shenanigans, and other cool stuff coming up :) If you have any ideas about scenes you'd like to see, I'm still open to suggestions. I can't promise it'll be done, because I know myself too well. If I'm not 100% hyped for an idea, I find it very hard to write it. But I will definitely try!


	9. A Nice Little Family Catch-Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I was quite surprised when Kayo turned out to be the focus of the first one-shot. I had a couple of headcanons regarding the Hood, Havoc and her that I never got the chance to cover in Misconceptions, so they're here instead.

**A Nice Little Family Catch-Up.**

It had been a natural progression that led to Kayo practically working full time with the GDF. Although she liked working with the Tracys, and considered them her family, she couldn’t deny the satisfaction she felt when putting her skills to good use catching bad guys. She’d clashed with Scott more than once when arguing that International Rescue could prevent situations from arising by doing just that. Working alongside the GDF gave her the opportunity to be more active. 

She would never jump ship. Not just because she took her allegiance to International Rescue seriously, but because she knew she could never follow orders like Rigby. She was treated as an asset by the GDF precisely because she was not officially part of it. Still, both the GDF and the Tracys had come to realise that having Kayo there more often was beneficial to everyone. 

Colonel Casey had granted her clearance that matched with Rigby’s, which meant that she was free to come and go at various GDF facilities. Once a month, she took advantage of that and ventured to their top secret, high security compound in the Australian outback. Parkmoor Scrubs had been considered unsuitable for certain prisoners, and after the loss of the Hex, they were having to rely on Earthbound locations until they could rebuild. Jeff had donated a sizeable sum to back the project after learning that International Rescue had been partly responsible for its destruction. 

Kayo slipped off a glove so the biometric scanner could approve her, and set off walking down a brightly-lit corridor. It was lined with reinforced glass walls, which gave its occupants no privacy. Although they all stared at her as she passed, she recognised only one. Havoc silently glared at her, her elfin features twisted into a look of pure hostility. Kayo maintained her poker face, but she was slightly taken aback by the fierceness of it. Her visits were regular, but by chance, she hadn’t seen Havoc since the day they’d finally caught her. 

Kayo had been part of that, perhaps that was why Havoc was so bitter. Although Kayo would have been outnumbered without Fuse switching sides at the last minute, finally beaten down by his ever-growing conscience. She’d had very little to do with his change of heart, which had developed over time, largely from interactions he’d had with Scott and Gordon, but maybe Havoc was blaming her for that too. She didn’t much care either way, but it piqued her curiosity. Kayo didn’t care whether she was disliked, but she wasn’t exactly used to it. The last person had been Rigby, and he’d come around pretty fast once she’d proved herself. 

She moved on past Havoc’s cell, turning down a corridor where two guards stood on duty, their posture military perfect. They both nodded to her upon recognising her, and one of them spoke up. 

“Morning, ma’am.”

“Morning,” Kayo replied, inwardly sighing. She would have to speak to Colonel Casey regarding her feelings on being addressed as ‘ma’am’. 

“How is your cousin today?” 

“He enjoys baseball,” she answered politely.

Upon hearing the correct code phrase, the guards stepped aside and allowed her access to the door. Kayo nodded her thanks, scanning her palm again. Following a series of incidents when they’d been fooled by the Hood’s disguises, the GDF had implemented the age-old precaution of secret questions and answers. The fact that the answers often didn’t make sense was apparently part of the security protocol. 

Behind the door, a solitary cell awaited her. The Hood sat on the narrow bed, arms folded, as if he’d been waiting for her. Kayo made sure there was no set routine to her visits, so she knew he couldn’t have been expecting her. The brief flicker of surprise in his single remaining eye confirmed it. He looked a little forlorn in his prison garb, the grey emphasising the paleness of his complexion. Stark against his skin, a black patch covered where she’d divested him of his cybernetic eye. He’d long ago sacrificed the real one in exchange for the upgrade, and it had served him well in the past. Kayo suspected that if he’d still had it, he would have escaped long ago. 

“Hello, Uncle,” she greeted him. 

“Come to see that I’m still here?” he asked mockingly.

Kayo didn’t respond because, yes, that was exactly what she was doing. 

“Are you well?” she asked him brusquely. Despite everything he’d done since, she still remembered a time when he’d been part of her family. He’d been kind, even fun to be around. She couldn’t help feeling resentful when she considered what greed and misplaced bitterness had done to him. 

“As well as can be expected if you don’t count crushing boredom,” he said dryly. “I heard that Jeff Tracy was publishing another book. Perhaps you could slip me a copy.”

“Why? You won’t be in it,” Kayo retorted. 

He scowled, and she repressed a smile. Winding him up never got old. 

“Well, you look healthy enough,” she added. 

“You’re too kind,” he said with heavy sarcasm. “When is my dear brother coming to see me?” 

Kayo narrowed her eyes. “Never. He doesn’t want to see you.” 

“And you do?”

She ignored his scornful tone. “I, for some god-knows-what reason, feel responsible for you.”

A slow smile spread itself across his face. “Oh dear, that must be annoying.” 

She ground her teeth, wondering how almost two years of incarceration hadn’t robbed him of his attitude problem. Then she quickly answered her own question, surmising that it was probably the best entertainment he had. 

“I have to say, I’m rather disappointed that you’re the only one who visits,” he went on. “I expected Jeff to come again. Or maybe the eldest one.”

Kayo scoffed. “Not going to happen.”

“And I thought we’d forged a bond when he decided to rescue me from the Mechanic’s superlaser.”

“Yes, but then you almost blew up his girlfriend,” she said, folding her arms. “Not the best way to inspire people to visit you.” 

He looked baffled for a moment, and Kayo remembered that he didn’t know who Anne was. Clarity struck, and he looked to her for confirmation.

“You mean the girl from Tracy Enterprises?” he said with surprise, laced with an undercurrent of aggravation.

It made Kayo smile. “That’s the one. Pity you didn’t realise at the time. Imagine the bargaining chip she would have been.” 

Judging by the expression on his face, that was exactly what he was imagining. Kayo smirked, enjoying his annoyance. If she hadn’t been confident in the GDF’s security measures, or Anne’s safety on Tracy Island, she would never have explained her true value. It would have been too much of a risk. But Kayo knew her uncle was unlikely to see daylight again, and thankfully he had no more allies on the outside. She’d investigated thoroughly to make sure of it. 

“Well,” the Hood said, after several long moments of struggling with his anger, “I hope they’re very happy together.” 

Kayo smiled at the sheer levels of dry sarcasm in his voice, his face showing that he was hugely resentful at the thought of any Tracy being happy. 

“Very,” she told him cheerily. “They’re getting married.” 

He made a faint sound of disgust, and she quashed a laugh. 

“Do you just come here to torment me?” he asked.

“No,” she answered him at once. “Not _just_ for that.” 

“Because,” he went on conversationally, “it’s torment enough knowing you’re wasting your talents with International Rescue when you could be achieving greatness.” 

Kayo rolled her eyes. She’d heard that before. “I know it’s difficult for you to wrap your selfish little mind around, Uncle, but helping people _is_ greatness in my opinion. Whatever talents I have are being well-used.”

“We could have been a great team if you’d worked for me,” he lamented, unfolding his arms and standing to pace the small floor of his cell. 

“You didn’t need me. You managed to end up where you belong all by yourself,” she said in a falsely bright voice. “Besides, I would have clashed with Havoc.”

He sneered. “My second biggest disappointment.” 

Kayo didn’t need to ask for clarification on who was the first.

The Hood sighed. “Such potential weighed down by such pettiness and stupidity.”

Kayo frowned. Havoc was many things, but she didn’t think stupid was one of them. Spiteful and arrogant, yes, but not stupid. 

“All she wanted to do was impress me,” he continued, “so I’d make her my protégée. When she’d learned enough, no doubt she would have ditched me if I’d allowed her to.” He glanced up with an expression of amusement. “It annoyed her no end that I was more impressed by your skills over hers.” 

At that, suddenly Kayo knew exactly what had caused Havoc’s look of loathing when she’d walked past her. “She wanted to replace me,” she realised. “She was jealous.”

“Yes. She knew I would have preferred to have you on my side, and she worked oh-so-hard to prove that I didn’t need you.” He scoffed. “And look how that turned out. Outsmarted by her useless lump of a brother.” 

“Yes,” Kayo agreed. “Very annoying to be outsmarted by a brother, isn’t it?” 

He shot her a look, eye narrowing. He recalled well, no doubt, that his very first stay with the GDF had been brought about by her father and Jeff Tracy. Even though he’d escaped within a month, it had been a blow. 

Deciding to leave him with that happy memory, she said, “Well, I must be going. See you in a few weeks, Uncle.”

“I want to see my brother,” he spat out. 

“Not going to happen.”

“Jeff, then,” he tried. “We used to be friends, you know.” 

“Emphasis on ‘used to’,” Kayo said. Knowing she couldn’t answer for Jeff, she relented with a nod. “I’ll ask him. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.” 

He nodded back to her. “Thank you.” 

Scanning her palm once more, she left his cell, pondering. She was fairly certain that his desire to talk to Jeff was born of boredom rather than anything sinister, but she’d ensure that she came along too if Jeff decided to visit. The Hood was simply too slippery to trust with even the most basic things. 

She paused when she drew level with Havoc’s cell, and the woman inside glared at her. She looked smaller without her armour. More vulnerable. Although Kayo had no doubts that she was still dangerous, even without it. 

“What do you want?” Havoc sneered.

Kayo considered imparting some wisdom about people who spend their lives being jealous of others and how they would never be happy, but one look at Havoc’s face told her that her words would be wasted. 

“Nothing,” she said. “Are you doing okay?”

“What do you care?” 

Sighing, Kayo shrugged. “Fine. I tried.” 

She continued walking, gratefully exiting the corridor of cells and heading out into the sunshine. Rigby was waiting for her, reading some mission specs on a tablet. He glanced up as she approached. 

“Good visit?”

“So-so.” She shot him a quick smile, already looking forward to jumping into a task and making a difference. “What are we doing?”

He gestured with the datapad. “Want to go to Ghana?” 

“What’s in Ghana?”

“Trouble.”

She grinned, turning toward Thunderbird Shadow and remotely powering it up. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just a short little thing to start off. Next time, Scott's perspective on some of the events from Redux.
> 
> I posted slightly higher-res versions of my Tracy brother paintings over on my Tumblr. Feel free to check them out :)  
> https://sweet-christabel.tumblr.com/post/617300292716855296/the-tracy-brothers-graphics-tablet-multiple


	10. Rediscovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A couple of people requested seeing things from Scott's POV, since I made a conscious decision to only stick with Anne's for Redux. Here are his thoughts on a few key moments from the main story.
> 
> There's a reference to another sci-fi show in here. If you spot it, you win a five minute break from whatever you're doing right now :)

**Rediscovery.**

The first thing Scott did upon waking was vomit. The second thing he did was feel a sense of admiration for the lightning-quick reflexes of the nurse nearest him, who had whipped a bowl under his chin the moment he’d moved sideways. His head felt like someone had buried an axe in it, and the room seemed far too bright. 

“Here.”

Another nurse helped him wash his mouth out with water, offering him another bowl to spit in. His limbs were trembling. 

“What happened?” he asked, pleased to hear that his words were steady. 

“You were in an accident, Mr. Tracy. You hit your head.” 

Scott blinked, trying to remember. He recalled the previous day just fine, although it felt strangely fuzzy around the edges, a little…musty somehow. As if he was looking at it from greater distance than he should be. He didn’t remember an accident. 

“My brothers?” he asked, a sudden jolt of fear causing an adrenaline spike. If he was injured, then he must have been on a rescue. 

“They’re fine, they’re outside,” the water-bearing nurse soothed him. She had a nice accent. Australian or New Zealand. He wondered if that was an indication as to where he was. 

“All of them?”

“Three of them, and a girl.” 

Virgil, Gordon, Alan, and Kayo, he surmised. John was likely safe in Thunderbird 5. Grandma and Brains would be back at the island. All was well. 

“Can I see them?” 

The nurse nodded, but looked at him sternly. “Just two at a time, okay?”

“Okay.” 

She momentarily vanished, and when she returned, Virgil and Kayo were with her. Scott frowned at the sight of them. Not only were they in uniform, but they were absolutely filthy. Virgil had blood on his sleeve, and Scott wondered if it was his. 

“Are you guys okay?” he asked.

Virgil’s worried expression cracked enough for him to smile. “We’re fine. We’re supposed to be asking after you.” 

“I think I’m okay,” Scott said truthfully. “My head hurts.”

“I’m not surprised,” Kayo said with amusement. “You had half a building come down on top of you.”

“I did? I don’t remember.”

“We were helping with the earthquake relief work,” Virgil informed him. “You were trying to free a guy with a broken leg. When you realised the place was coming down, you shoved Alan out of a window and gave your helmet to the civilian. Who is fine, before you ask. He’s in better shape than you.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like something I’d do,” Scott admitted, trying to get comfortable on his pillow. The bandage on his head itched. 

A white-clad doctor entered the room, her dark hair scraped back into a high ponytail that made her look a little severe. 

“Glad to see you awake, Mr. Tracy. I’m Doctor Weldon. I just need to run through a couple of questions.” Her accent matched the nurse’s, and he made a mental note to find out exactly where he was. 

“Okay.”

Approaching him, she shone a small light in his eyes, making him follow the movement of her finger. “Okay,” she murmured, and he had no idea what that meant. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Really?” he said sceptically.

She arched an eyebrow. 

“Three,” he answered obediently. 

“Who’s the president of the United States?” 

“Laura Roslin.” 

“And how long has she been president?” 

“About a year.” 

He knew at once that he’d said something wrong. Everyone in the room went suddenly still, and the doctor exchanged a glance with the nurse. 

“What?” he asked. “What is it?”

Doctor Weldon ignored him, instead asking another question of her own. “What year is it?”

Suddenly grasping what the problem might be, he warily answered, “2059?” He heard his own voice inflect upwards at the end, knowing he was no longer sure that his response would be correct. 

Behind the doctor, Virgil and Kayo shot each other worried looks that were as telling to Scott as giant neon signs. It was clearly not 2059 anymore. 

“How much am I out by?” he asked. It couldn’t be much. Virgil and Kayo didn’t look any different to him. 

“It’s 2063,” Doctor Weldon informed him after a long moment of silent deliberation. 

Scott nodded slowly, trying not to jolt his aching head. All his recent memories were from 2059. 

_This could be a problem._

“Will my memories come back?” he asked. 

The doctor seemed pleasantly surprised by his calm, rational tone, and she made a note on her tablet. “Possibly, in time. Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do except heal your physical injuries. Your brain will have to decide to heal itself, and it’ll take time. I’m afraid you’ll be grounded from flying for a number of months.”

“Months?” Scott exclaimed. 

Clearly used to patients being unhappy with her declarations, Doctor Weldon merely nodded calmly. “I’m afraid so. We need to monitor you for blackouts, seizures, migraines, and other side-effects.” 

Dismay filled him as he thought of the long road to recovery he now seemed to have before him. Virgil stepped forward and lightly gripped his shoulder. 

“It’ll be okay,” he said, in the same reassuring, warm voice he used for rescuees. “We’ll all get through this.”

“I’m just going to have a word with your brothers about the situation, okay, Mr. Tracy?” Doctor Weldon said.

“Okay.” He didn’t really have a choice. 

He watched the three of them head to the door. When it slid open, he spotted Grandma’s purple-clad figure in the corridor, and beside her…

He gave a sharp intake of breath. 

“Dad?” 

Doctor Weldon froze, and she looked suddenly worried. Perhaps that should have worried Scott, but he was too focused on the beloved, familiar figure that he hadn’t seen in too long. Virgil looked between Scott, the doctor, and Jeff, pivoting to walk back to Scott’s bedside. 

“He came back to us a couple years ago,” he explained. 

“I want to see him,” Scott demanded, unable to stop the huge grin that was spreading across his face. 

“You will,” Virgil assured him. “Just let the doc catch us all up, okay?”

He’d waited years to see his father again. He could wait a few more minutes, even if it did seem like too long. 

He was left alone for about five minutes, and when he received visitors, it was Gordon and Alan, not his father. Although he was pleased to see them and assess with his own eyes that they were safe, he felt a guilty stab of disappointment. They only stayed for a few moments, however, seemingly keen to assess _his_ condition. Then, finally, his dad stepped into the room with Grandma. 

It was almost as if no time had passed since Jeff’s accident. He was perhaps a little greyer and wore a few more lines on his face, but he was otherwise exactly the same. It seemed incredible to Scott that he could have forgotten his father coming home. It was that more than anything else that made the memory loss feel real. 

After a few minutes of chat, which they slipped into with ease, Jeff spoke up. “John is here too. He’ll want to come and say hi. And…someone else that I may have to re-introduce you to.”

Scott was too elated to even think about meeting someone else, but he agreed to please his dad. “Okay.”

“I’ll be right back.” 

Jeff waited for Grandma to bid Scott a temporary farewell, then they were both gone. A few minutes later, Jeff was back, accompanied by a young woman. She was very pale, casually dressed in jeans and a cardigan. Her light brown hair was fastened in an untidy side-braid, and looked as if it had been slept on. Her expression, when her gaze landed on him, was concerned, almost…fearful, and Scott wondered how bad his multiple cuts and bruises looked. Trying to put her at ease, he offered her a small smile. 

She smiled back, but it seemed forced. “Hi,” she said, clearing her throat. 

“Hi,” he replied. He glanced at his dad, hoping for some kind of explanation as to who this woman was. 

She seemed to pick up on his intentions. “You, um…you don’t…” 

“Remember you? Sorry, no.” 

She gave a resigned little nod, as if she’d expected that, but there was a flash of something behind it. Disappointment, perhaps. 

“Are we friends?” he asked, seeking answers as to why she was even there. 

“Yes,” his dad spoke up. “You get along pretty well. Anne’s one of my CEOs from Tracy Enterprises. She works alongside me from the island.”

That was new. Jeff had never integrated Tracy Enterprises and International Rescue in the past. 

“You live at the house?” he queried, surprised. 

_Oh god, he’s not dating her, is he? She looks younger than me!_

“Uh, no…” she said, a little awkwardly. “No, I…have an apartment on one of the other islands.” 

A wave of relief crashed over him. The thought of his dad dating her was…all wrong. He didn’t think it was just because of her age. 

“Oh,” he said, covering his reaction. “I didn’t know there were apartments on the other islands. It’s a good idea.”

“I have those occasionally,” his dad said. 

Scott grinned at his tone. He’d missed it so much. 

“Listen, son, we’re going to send John in for a quick chat, then we’re going to let you get some rest,” Jeff went on. “The others have to get back to work, but Anne and I will stay until you get discharged.” 

Anne glanced at him, and Scott began to wonder if his relief had been premature. 

“Sure thing, Dad,” he said, deciding to worry about it later. He sent Anne a smile “It was good to meet you. Again.”

She laughed, but it was a strange, brittle sort of sound. Her face looked almost frozen into a neutral expression, but her eyes betrayed her concern. 

“Get some rest,” she ordered him, then turned and rapidly departed the room. 

Frowning, Scott looked to his father. “Is she okay?” 

“It’s just a shock to us all to see you like this,” Jeff replied. 

Scott accepted that with a gentle nod. If Anne was fairly new to the organisation, it was likely that she hadn’t seen any of their injuries yet. They’d all ended up in hospital at one time or another. Part of why Brains had worked so hard on their medical bay was because it was a nuisance to keep trekking to various hospitals with minor things like broken bones. 

“Um…why is she staying with you?” Scott ventured.

“I’ll need to get some work done while I’m here,” his dad explained. “Anne deals with a lot of it, so I’m going to need her help. Besides, it’s not like I can’t afford another hotel room.”

Separate hotel rooms was a good sign. 

“Fair enough,” he said, feeling strangely cheered. 

“I’ll send John in. Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Scott sent him a grateful smile. “Okay, Dad. It’s really good to see you.” 

His father smiled back and left the room. Scott gazed up at the ceiling, looking forward to getting some sleep and taking a break from the pain in his head. But all things considered, he felt he was doing pretty well. All he needed to do now was get out of this hospital room. 

* * *

Scott eventually got his wish, although it took longer than he would have liked. He knew Anne and his father had argued on his behalf, and he was grateful. Being confined to the med bay was slightly less frustrating than being confined to a hospital bed. But being surrounded by so much that was familiar only served to highlight what felt strange. 

He glanced at Anne, sleeping in the next bed over, her breathing made a touch more laboured by her cold. Although it was a mild illness, he felt a sense of protectiveness as he gazed at her. Even in the dim light, he could see that her face was pale, apart from her slightly reddened nose. She’d been worrying a lot lately. Worrying about him. 

He remembered the first time she’d touched him, when he’d offered his hand to her to shake on their bet over the outcome of a TV show. She’d been a little hesitant, and then, when their palms touched, her breath had hitched. Scott had enough world experience to know when someone was attracted to him, but he’d found her surprisingly easy to read. And it didn’t seem to be because she was an open book. On the contrary, outwardly she projected calmness and a cheerful demeanour. 

Her reaction had intrigued him, and he wondered if he’d ever noticed it before the accident. It hadn’t taken him long to notice that she was interesting to him. During their talks at the hospital, it became easy to see why they were friends. They had a lot in common, and light-hearted banter seemed to flow easily with her. She felt like someone he could talk to – _really_ talk to – and those were rare. 

She was pretty too. It hadn’t taken him long to notice that either, and yet again, he wondered if his past self had done so too. Had it taken a bump on the head for him to realise he was attracted to her? Or had they perhaps danced around it beforehand? He didn’t feel that they were at a stage where he could really ask her. Especially now that they were sharing the medical bay. He had, at least, determined that she wasn’t dating any of his brothers. Or, thankfully, his father. After some of the dreams he’d had, that would have been awkward as hell, not to mention inappropriate. 

Anne made a small sound of distress, and he glanced over at her. Her brow was furrowed, and the moonlight glinted off a tear track down her cheek. He unhooked himself from the cranial scan, threw back his covers and approached her bed. 

“Hey,” he whispered.

She didn’t seem to hear him. After a moment’s hesitation, he reached out, wiping her tears with his thumb. Her skin was warm and soft under his hand. Barely breathing, he moved an errant lock of hair that lay across her face, sweeping it back into place. Her hair was silky, and he caught its faint scent once again: something light and fruity that made him feel strangely nostalgic, as if he was on the verge of a great discovery. The resolution never came, and it was intensely frustrating. Was it simply that he was familiar with whatever shampoo she used? If they hung out a lot, it was a distinct possibility. 

She startled him by reaching out, grabbing his hand as he pulled it away. 

“Don’t go,” she mumbled. Her eyes had barely opened, and he knew she was mostly still dreaming. 

He spoke to her in a calm, reassuring tone. “I won’t be far. I’m right over there.” 

She seemed to accept that, as her hand slipped from his. Smiling a little, Scott tucked her arm back under the covers and retreated to his own bed. He remained awake for a while, but she didn’t stir again. Her dreams appeared to be peaceful. He wished his were. 

* * *

He’d slipped up the following day, describing her as ‘a pretty girl in distress’. The flirty remark had just come out, regardless of whether he thought it was wise. Anne had seemed startled, and she chose not to acknowledge it directly, but her fingertips had brushed his when he handed her a glass, and she’d held his gaze far longer than was normal or polite. When he’d returned to his own bed, he’d reached for his tablet, and had caught her reflection on its dark screen. Her expression had been…confusing. A mixture of pensive, sad, and hopeful. Unaware that she was observed, she’d glanced over at him with such an unguarded look of longing that he almost forgot to breathe. When he turned her way, she’d predictably looked away, expression schooled once more. 

Anne was quiet for the rest of the day, thoughtful and unable to focus on her book, judging by how long it took her to turn the pages. Scott felt a tentative flare of hope that she was realising she liked him too. He pondered whether to speak to her about it, or whether it would be wise to get Virgil’s insight first. His brother would know more about their history than he did. 

But then Scott caught sight of her engagement ring, heard how she’d lost her would-be fiancé, and he lay awake amid a cloud of confusion and regret as he tried to square what he’d come to believe with what she had said. They didn’t reconcile. Unless he’d been reading things _completely_ wrong. 

Clearly, Anne hadn’t gotten much sleep, as she dozed late into the morning. Doctor Weldon finally gave Scott permission to leave the medical bay during the day, but it felt like a hollow victory in light of everything he had cluttering his mind. He decided to fall back on a tried and trusted plan: talk to Virgil. Despite being younger than him, Virgil had a wisdom to him that Scott envied. 

He found his brother sitting at the table in the kitchen, making an impact on a bagel and coffee. 

“Is that breakfast or lunch?” he asked him, heading to make himself a snack too. 

“Second breakfast,” Virgil said without missing a beat. 

“Always knew you were part hobbit.” 

“Minus the feet.”

Scott made an exaggerated noise of doubtful disagreement, and Virgil glared at him. Scott laughed, pouring the coffee. Seating himself at the table, he took a large, restorative bite of his own bagel. 

“It’s nice to see you up and about,” Virgil commented. 

“Thanks. I hate being grounded, though. I miss my Bird.” 

“Alan’s been taking care of her.” 

From what he’d seen of Alan’s new maturity, Scott didn’t doubt that. Still, it stung to think that he wouldn’t be allowed to fly for weeks yet. 

“Something else on your mind?” Virgil asked astutely, peering at him over his coffee cup.

Scott nodded. “Anne’s…engaged. Or almost engaged,” he reported.

Virgil’s eyebrows rose in surprise, which he found interesting. Had she told no one on the island about her missing fiancé? 

“What do you mean, ‘almost’?” Virgil queried. 

“She’s got a ring, but she doesn’t wear it. She said her fiancé’s gone. Some kind of accident.” 

Virgil’s gaze snapped to his. “What else did she say?”

“That was pretty much it.” Scott sighed heavily, propping his chin on his hand. “She’s in love with someone else,” he stated flatly. It sounded depressing said out loud. “I thought…I thought maybe…” He shrugged. “Well, I guess I was wrong. Shit, Virgil, I misread everything. And all this time, she’s been missing him.” 

MAX chirped loudly from the level below, and there was a quiet but noticeable flurry of movement from the stairs down. Scott frowned, glancing over, but Virgil hadn’t been distracted.

“Are you saying you have feelings for Anne?” 

Seeing no sense in denying it, Scott nodded. “Yeah. Seems so. In fact, I…I think I could love her. I think I _do_ love her. Shit, that’s so fast, though. What is wrong with me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Virgil told him adamantly. 

Scott appreciated the words, but his thoughts were racing ahead. “How could I have misread everything, though? I was so sure that…” He trailed off, thinking of her reactions, her glances. Could it just be that he reminded her of what she’d lost somehow? 

“Look,” Virgil interjected, voice firm, “I really think you need to discuss this with her.” 

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” 

“Trust me,” Virgil said, two words that could sell almost any argument. 

Not for the first time, Scott wondered if there were things his brothers knew that he did not. Not merely because of the memory loss, but because they were being kept from him. He hadn’t pried, because he knew his family well enough to be sure that if that was the case, they likely had a very good reason. Still, it irked him. 

Virgil hadn’t known about Anne’s engagement, though. His reaction made certain of that. If Scott was being kept in the dark, it was about something else. It was an unsettling feeling. The only solution he was left with, if Virgil remained tight-lipped, was to do as he suggested and talk to Anne. 

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll talk to her. But not right now. She’s still tired and sick.” 

“In that case, I suggest you find a way of distracting yourself for the rest of the day,” Virgil advised. “I’m pretty sure Grandma has some housework that needs doing.”

“You’re real helpful, you know that?” 

Virgil smirked. “Yup, I do.” 

* * *

Scott spent the rest of the day and a large portion of the night turning everything over in his mind. He and Anne had been pleasant and civil with each other, but there was a touch of awkwardness about it that he didn’t care for. Neither, if her expression was anything to go by, did she. 

That was the problem, though. He’d seen enough of her expressions now to believe that he could read them pretty well. For the most part, there’d been no evidence that he was wrong. Except in one very specific, very significant way. 

When dawn bathed the room in light, he got up and headed out for a walk, needing to think. He wasn’t yet permitted to jog or work out in any useful way, but walking was available to him, and he took advantage of it. 

For his short trek through the trees, he reflected on it all, trying to see where he’d gone wrong. He wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much, particularly seeing as he would clear it up with Anne as soon as he got back. Although he didn’t like it, he’d grown used to the feeling of missing something since he’d gotten back from the hospital, but this just felt like too much….wrongness. He didn’t have a better or more articulate word for it. 

His head ached, but he didn’t think it was a consequence of the accident for once. He paused, and Anne’s words flitted through his head. 

_‘…he didn’t want to go. There was an accident…’_

Absently, he turned for home, heart suddenly increasing its rhythm beneath his ribs. Again, he recalled her words, words that he’d taken literally. 

_‘…he’s gone. Might not be back.’_

Alongside them he remembered Doctor Weldon’s warning that his memories might never return. 

_In that sense_ , he thought, _the man I was might not be back either…_

Missing a few years was not enough to make him a different person, but if he’d met someone during that time, fallen for them, perhaps asked them to marry him…all of that might have been erased. 

He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but everything suddenly made sense when he looked at it this way. And to seal the deal, he’d thought he’d caught a flash of blue before Anne had shut the ring box. Wouldn’t it be just like him to pick out a ring with his favourite colour in it? Assuming it fit in with her tastes too, of course. He didn’t think he was _that_ conceited. 

Anne was in the bathroom when he got back to the med bay, and he sat down to wait for her. Almost right away, he got back up and started pacing. When something made him antsy, he found it very difficult to keep still. 

Anne had left her cardigan draped across the end of her bed, and his eye fell on it almost by accident. Scott crossed the room and stood by her bed, waging an internal war between his curiosity and his sense of guilt at the thought of going through someone’s pockets. Curiosity won, (aided by the fact that he didn’t think she’d mind), and he reached into the cardigan pocket, pulling out the small velvet-covered box. He opened the lid and examined the ring. He was no expert on jewellery, particularly engagement rings. All he had to go on were his instincts, which were telling him – hopefully without bias – that it was pretty and unfussy, and seemed to be a good fit for Anne and her own sense of style. Had he chosen for her himself, he could not have done better. Even after only knowing her for three weeks, he knew that a huge, ostentatious ring would have been a poor choice, and would not have suited her at all. 

_Maybe you did choose it yourself_ , he thought. 

He hoped he had. He _really_ hoped he had. 

The bathroom door opened, revealing a damp-haired Anne, her toiletry bag tucked under one arm. She froze when she saw him, eyes wide in surprise, darting to what he was holding. 

“We need to talk,” he spoke up before she could say anything. 

He was so convinced and yet so uncertain of his theory, he couldn’t stand to wait another minute for answers. 

Anne seemed to jerk herself out of her stupor, approaching and dropping her bag onto the bed. They stood with the bed between them, holding each other’s gaze. 

“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I was going to come find you this morning, actually. I need to talk to you about…”

He knew it was rude to cut across her, but he couldn’t help it. “Is it me?” 

She merely looked confused. “What?”

“Because I can’t stop thinking about this,” Scott went on, barrelling forward. He indicated the box and spoke his truth. “This ring is _exactly_ the kind of thing I would pick.”

Anne’s gaze sharpened as she realised what he meant, her brows lifting a touch in surprise. Was it surprise that he could think up such a crazy idea? Or perhaps she’d simply thought she’d have to explain the situation in full. He wasn’t sure, and he felt too on edge to wait and see. Instead, he continued with his theory. 

“And sometimes the way you look at me when you think I’m not looking, and the way I’ve come to feel about you…” There, the truth was out. “And what you said. The man you loved…there was an accident, you might not get him back… I thought you were being literal, but…maybe you weren’t.” He let out a breath, appealing to her. “I need to know the truth, Anne… Is it me?” 

Anne exhaled slowly, looking as if she was trying to get her thoughts under control. Scott waited, determined to give her the time she needed, even if every moment of silence clawed at him. 

But then she smiled, a happy and somehow heartbreaking little smile, and said three simple words that pierced through his anxiety like a sunbeam. “Yes, it’s you.” 

“So I don’t have to feel guilty for wanting to kiss you?” he clarified. 

Anne laughed, her eyes suspiciously shiny. “No,” she said, shaking her head and sending him the widest smile he’d ever seen from her. That he could remember, anyway.

He walked around the end of the bed, halting in front of her. She was looking up at him with warmth, and a sense of anticipation that had his pulse racing. 

“May I?” he asked her softly. He didn’t know what he would do if she said no. It didn’t seem likely, but he wanted to give her the choice. She couldn’t have had an easy few weeks. 

“I don’t want you to get my cold,” she said, but it seemed clear that she was mentioning it out of a sense of decency. Her gaze dropped to his lips and back up to his eyes. 

He lifted his hands, lightly cupping her face. His fingertips sank into the dampness of her hair, and he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. She slipped her arms around his waist, but her touch felt hesitant, a little unsure at how he was going to react. 

“I’ll take the risk,” he told her, and kissed her. He couldn’t help noticing how instinctive it felt, how easily she fit into his arms, and how it almost seemed like a homecoming all over again. He knew that he still had a long way to go in terms of recovery, but it would be okay. For right now, all was right with the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was fun! Next time, wedding prep with the girls: Anne is tired, Penelope is determined, and Kayo is fervently wishing she's somewhere else.


	11. Something Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I had requests for Anne, Kayo and Penelope to group up, so here that is. Just a normal shopping trip, right?

**Something Blue.**

“You are such a child.”

Anne was amused to hear the words addressed to the eldest sibling out of the mouth of the fourth youngest. Standing behind Gordon and Penelope, she took in Scott’s indignant and slightly sheepish expression as he stepped out of the pantry that he had clearly been hiding in. 

“Are you really afraid of one small British woman?” Gordon went on. 

Scott looked at him incredulously. “ _This_ small British woman?” he said, gesturing to Penelope. “Absolutely.”

“Excellent,” Penelope declared, a strand of amusement in her voice. “But Gordon,” she added, turning to look at the man in question, “I do believe I’m taller than you.” 

He looked her up and down. “You’re wearing heels.” 

She audibly sighed and turned her attention back to Scott. “Now come along, Scott. It won’t be so bad.”

“I really don’t need any new clothes,” he protested. “Honestly.” 

“You need a new shirt for the wedding at least,” Penelope argued. “Perhaps some nice smart trousers.”

Scott looked to Anne for back-up, and she shook her head frantically, stopping just as Penelope glanced over her shoulder at her. 

“Anne, surely you’d like to see your fiancé in a colour other than blue.”

Peeved at being drawn into the conversation, Anne tried not to take sides. “I don’t know. I mean, I think he looks good in blue.”

“Tracys always look good in blue,” Gordon spoke up. “But we look good in any colour. I could see you in orange,” he said musingly, holding up his arm and squinting so that Scott’s face appeared above his sleeve, as if trying to judge how he might look in the shade. 

“Ooh, dark red, maybe,” Penelope proposed. 

“I like it,” Gordon said. 

“Guys, it’s a beach wedding,” Scott reminded them, holding up his hands. “I’m not gonna get spruced up like I’m going to the opera.” 

“Lemon yellow,” Gordon said, flatly ignoring him. 

“Pale pink?” Penelope suggested, her tone so deadpan that Anne was forced to conclude that she was being serious. The thought of Scott in pastels was…all wrong. 

He apparently agreed. “No. I’m not going to my own wedding dressed as a macaron.” 

Gordon let out a snort. “Why not? Macarons are awesome.” 

“Why not just a white formal shirt?” Anne recommended. “It’s traditional, and it won’t be too hot if it’s sunny.” 

“And I already have one of those,” Scott said with approval. “Yes, that’ll work.” He sent her a grateful smile. 

Penelope sounded disapproving. “Well, I suppose that would be a classic look. But you should at least buy some new ones for the honeymoon.” 

“It’s just a weekend away,” he said defensively. “I can manage with what I have. Honestly, I’m surprised you’re fussing over me when you have the bride right there.”

Unamused by his betrayal, Anne tilted her head, glaring at him. He winked at her, and she tried hard not to let it disrupt her annoyance. 

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten,” Penelope assured them both. “I just thought that while I was here, I could just…”

“Thanks,” Scott interrupted her, “but I’m all set. Have a nice day, ladies.” 

He cut between Gordon and Penelope, and Anne stepped directly into his path, fixing him with a look that promised she wouldn’t forget what he’d just done. He grinned down at her, amused at her expression. 

“You love me,” he reminded her.

Anne’s lips twitched as she fought back a smile. “Lucky for you.” 

He kissed her, but it was barely long enough for her to decide to participate, perhaps mindful of their audience. “See you later.” Then he was gone, scarpering out of the room. 

“He’s quick,” Gordon commented admiringly. 

Anne inwardly sighed, sensing Penelope’s attention falling on her. Sure enough, the blonde aristocrat fixed her with a smile. 

“Shall we go and find you a dress, then?” 

Anne nodded, because she did need one, although she couldn’t say she was looking forward to the shopping experience. 

“I know some wonderful boutiques in Paris,” Penelope started to say, taking her arm as they walked slowly to the elevator down to the hangar while Gordon trailed behind. 

“I don’t want anything fussy, Lady Penelope,” Anne cut in before she could get carried away. “And my sister and friend are meeting us in L.A., so…”

“Not a problem, I know plenty of places in Los Angeles too.”

“Of course you do.” 

Gordon chuckled, throwing his arms around both their shoulders. “I’m going to get on with some work. Have fun!” He kissed Penelope on the cheek, then wandered off. 

Anne’s comm buzzed with an incoming message, and she lifted her arm to read it. “Oh. Looks like we’re just meeting Cathy, Maud can’t make it.” 

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Penelope said sympathetically. It was completely genuine too, which made Anne smile. 

“It’s okay,” Anne said. “Maud has a pretty…unique dress sense, so I’m not sure how much help she would’ve been anyway.” 

They almost bumped into Kayo, who was heading for the kitchen with an empty cereal bowl. “Oops, sorry,” she said, twisting out of the way of a collision with her usual grace. 

“Kayo,” Penelope said brightly, halting them, a calculating tone in her voice. 

Kayo picked up on it too, her eyes narrowing in slight suspicion. “What?”

“We’re one short on our dress-buying trip, why don’t you join us?”

Kayo looked as if she’d rather do anything else. Anne wasn’t offended. She was feeling much the same way. Penelope’s enthusiasm for shopping was exhausting. 

“Uh, well…” 

“Anne’s friend can’t make it,” Penelope added, piling on the guilt.

Anne met Kayo’s gaze, sending her an apologetic look. Then it occurred to her that Kayo might be the best ally she could hope for in making sure the trip didn’t become too extravagant. 

“It would be nice to have some girl time,” she said, smiling sweetly when Kayo looked at her with pursed lips, apparently knowing exactly what Anne was doing. 

“Fine,” she relented with a roll of her eyes. “But I am _not_ buying a dress for myself.” 

“It’s a wedding!” Penelope tried to argue.

Anne cut across her. “You don’t have to. You can wear whatever you’re comfortable in.” 

“Thanks,” Kayo said with a smirk as Penelope gave a small huff. 

“Honestly, don’t you two have any sense of occasion?” 

“I do, and it’ll be nice,” Anne said with confidence. 

Relenting – albeit, only temporarily – Penelope summoned Parker to FAB1, and they all piled down to the hangar. Using Thunderbird 2’s runway, the car-turned-plane took off in the direction of Los Angeles. Cathy was waiting for them, her mouth falling open as she realised what they were travelling in. 

“Holy crap, that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!” she exclaimed. 

Penelope and Parker seemed equally pleased by that, and greeted her warmly. Although Cathy had met them before at Christmas, she’d never had the opportunity to see what had brought them to the island.

Parker was dismissed to conduct any business of his own, which was a routine he seemed quite used to, and the four women made their way to the bridal shops. Cathy was enthusiastic. Thankfully not as much as Penelope, but the two of them provided a stark balance to Anne and Kayo’s more stoic demeanours. 

“What are you definitely not looking for?” Kayo asked as they walked. 

“Extravagant gowns,” Anne told her at once. “Nothing huge and floofy. It would be wasted. And no glitter. In fact, you know the stereotypical image of a fairy princess bride?”

Kayo nodded. 

“I’m looking for the complete opposite to that.” 

“Got it. We’ll try and keep this to under two hours.”

Anne shot her a look of gratitude, and saw amusement reflected back to her. “Thank you.” 

They stepped into the first shop, and Anne was greeted with a sea of white and ivory, row upon row of satin, chiffon, tulle, and lace, bedecked in sparkling beads, embroidered appliques, and silk flowers. 

“Oh boy,” she muttered, feeling a supportive hand – probably Kayo’s – clasp her shoulder briefly. 

A smiling woman stepped forward to greet them, establishing quickly that Anne was the bride. Anne pasted on a smile and let herself be drawn further into the shop. She was not the kind of shopper that liked being fussed over, but when shopping for bridal, she knew she couldn’t avoid it. 

“Are these the bridesmaids?” the woman, who introduced herself as Olivia, asked, glancing at Cathy, Kayo and Penelope. 

“Uh, no. I’m not having bridesmaids,” Anne said, almost feeling as if she should apologise for the fact. 

Olivia had clearly seen and heard everything, as she simply moved on. “Okay. Tell me a bit about your wedding.” 

After a short explanation, which Penelope tried to subtly embellish twice, Anne established what she was looking for, and Olivia led her around the shop, pulling out dresses for her to look at. Trying them on _did_ turn out to be quite fun, as Cathy, Kayo and Penelope proved themselves to be quite the peanut gallery, each offering remarks that were actually helpful. 

“That one makes your ass look weird,” Cathy said with brutal honesty. 

Penelope looked scandalised, but couldn’t disagree. Twisting to look in the mirror, Anne concluded that her sister was right, and went to change. 

“I don’t dislike it, but it looks a little like a dressing gown,” Penelope mused thoughtfully at the next one. 

“That one’s nice, but are you going to want sleeves on the beach?” Kayo commented at the one after that. 

“Probably not,” Anne agreed. 

At the fifth, Penelope rested her hand on her chin as she scrutinised Anne’s appearance, then tactfully said, “I’m not sure a high empire line is the most flattering.” 

“You look all boobs,” Cathy translated. 

After deciding to move on to the next place, they left Olivia’s shop behind and went to repeat the whole process again. After the third shop, Anne was starting to flag, and she silently decided that the fourth would be the last regardless of whether she actually found anything. The fourth was not a specialist bridal shop, but one that sold evening and prom dresses too. Happy to have a break from the endless white gowns, Anne browsed some other colours, mixing it up a bit. 

The assistant approached, asking if she needed help, and Anne dismissed her with a polite, “Just looking at the moment”. 

“Kayo, look at this,” she heard Penelope say. “Wouldn’t that look wonderful with your complexion?”

“Probably,” Kayo agreed, sounding as if she had no intention of buying the thing. 

Penelope audibly sighed. “Cathy, what are _you_ wearing?”

“I have a chiffon evening dress at home,” Cathy told her. “I wore it once for a performance, but it deserves to be worn again.”

“What colour is it?”

“Green.”

“Oh, splendid,” Penelope praised. “That will really bring out your eyes and the hint of red in your hair.” 

“That’s what I thought.” 

Chancing a look over her shoulder, Anne smiled to see Kayo roll her eyes at the conversation and wander away to look at some hair accessories. She would have to remember to thank her later. Fashion was not high on Kayo’s list of interests, and Anne was touched that she’d come along. 

Another customer sauntered in, looking as if she could give Penelope a run for her money in how many designer products she was wearing. The assistant hurried over to her to see if she needed help.

“I need a wedding dress,” the customer told her, fiddling with a button on her coat in a way that couldn’t help but draw attention to the engagement ring she sported. 

Anne raised her eyebrows. She didn’t think she’d seen a diamond that size on someone’s finger before. She wondered how the woman went about her business without it getting in the way. 

The assistant pointed out where the designer gowns were, guessing correctly that that’s what her customer would be interested in, and Anne turned back to the more modestly-priced ones she was looking at. 

“What’ve you found?” Cathy asked, stepping up to her side. 

“A few summery things,” Anne told her, holding up the hangers. “I’m going to go and try them on.”

Cathy nodded. “I’ll get the others.”

As she started towards the changing rooms, a flash of pale blue fabric caught her eye, and she detoured to have a look. The dress was chiffon, with short, fluttering sleeves, long but minus a train. In other words, an ideal design for a beach wedding. Anne unhooked it, adding it to her selection, and smiled at the thought of Penelope trying so hard to get Scott _out_ of blue only for Anne to choose it herself. 

She opted for one of her other choices first, so she could ease her friends into the idea of a dress that wasn’t white or some shade of off-white. When she stepped out of her changing room, the designer-clad customer was heading into the other one, carrying a single, very expensive-looking gown. Anne saw her set down her handbag carefully on a chair rather than put it on the floor, and slip her gigantic engagement ring into her pocket before closing the door. 

“I don’t hate it, but it’s a bit boring,” Cathy said, cutting through her observations. 

Anne gave herself another glance in the mirror, not seeing simplicity as a negative the way her sister did. 

“Perhaps with a decorative belt,” Penelope suggested. 

Cathy nodded approvingly. “That could work.” 

“I’ll come back to this one,” Anne decided, retreating back into the changing room. 

The next one was an immediate no, but she showed the others anyway so they could validate her opinion. 

“Definitely not,” Kayo spoke up. 

“You look like a marshmallow,” Cathy helpfully added. 

“I know,” Anne agreed, laughing at her reflection. 

Opposite, the other changing room door opened, and the woman emerged in her designer dress, looking like she was born to wear slinky evening gowns. The assistant, clearly having given up on Anne, clasped her hands together. 

“Oh my, that looks stunning on you!”

“You were so right,” the woman praised her, examining herself. “It is gorgeous. How much did you say it was?”

“For you, I’ll round down to an even five-thousand dollars,” the assistant said, in a tone that implied she was the height of generosity. 

Anne forcibly controlled her expression, nearly laughing when Cathy utterly failed to do the same. Kayo and Penelope, however, merely reacted with what looked like nonchalant curiosity. 

“Well, that’s not too bad,” the woman said with a wave of one hand. “I’ll take it.” 

“Wonderful choice, madam,” the assistant gushed, positively beaming. 

The woman smiled in a self-satisfied way, returning to the changing room. Anne, having decided she’d spent enough time dressed as a marshmallow, did the same. The next dress looked good on the hanger but terrible on, and she barely emerged when her companions ushered her back in. Hopeful, she reached for the blue dress, slipping it on and adjusting its soft, floaty layers. It sat on her natural waist, making for a flattering silhouette, and even in the shop’s bad lighting, it seemed to look good with her colouring. 

She could hear some commotion in the shop while she was changing, but it seemed to have died down by the time she stepped out. 

“What do you think of…?” she began.

But Cathy, Penelope and Kayo were all looking at the door, and Cathy darted forward to update her, the gleam in her eye reminding her that her sister enjoyed drama.

“That woman with the five-thousand dollar dress,” Cathy hissed to her. “She just kicked up a huge fuss because she couldn’t find her engagement ring. Said she had to rush off, but she’d be back later, and she offered a six-thousand dollar reward for anyone who finds it!” 

Anne scoffed. “She’s going to feel pretty stupid then. She put it in her pocket for safekeeping. I saw her do it before she tried the dress on.” 

Cathy’s face fell. “Damn, really? I was really hoping I’d find it.” 

“Let’s see this dress, then,” Kayo put in, leaning to look around Cathy, who obediently stepped back. 

“It’s blue,” Penelope pointed out.

Kayo grinned. “It’s times like these when you can really tell that you work in intelligence,” she teased. 

Penelope sent her a glare with very little venom in it, then turned back to Anne. “The style is rather nice. Perhaps we could have it dyed?”

“Actually I kind of like the colour,” Anne said with a shrug. “I’m not specifically looking for white, it’s just difficult to find alternatives in bridal shops.”

“I like it,” Cathy spoke up. “It’s flattering and the hem won’t get too sandy.” 

“My thoughts exactly,” Anne said. 

“And it goes with the engagement ring,” Kayo noted. 

“Could you perhaps twirl a little?” Penelope instructed. 

Anne obliged her clumsily, liking the way the light fabric flowed around her. When she came to a dizzy stop, Penelope was looking pensive.

“It certainly moves nicely,” she commented. 

“Excuse me, please.” 

Anne side-stepped to avoid the assistant, who was walking the perimeter of the shop, eyes glued to the floor in search of the supposedly missing ring. 

“I, uh…think this is the one,” Anne announced, the moment missing some of its fanfare thanks to the assistant ushering Kayo and Penelope off the seat they were occupying so she could look underneath it. 

“Good choice,” Cathy said with a warm smile. “You’re going to look amazing.” 

Anne returned it. “I hope you’re right. Not that it really matters, but it would be nice.” 

Another customer entered the shop, and the assistant tried to look casual as she got up off the floor and approached to help. This time it was a man in his late forties, who wasted no time in bragging that he was there to buy an extravagant present for his new twenty-year-old trophy wife. 

Cathy made a rather unsubtle expression of disgust, which seemed to amuse Kayo, and Anne went to change back into her own clothes. Alone in the changing room, she ran her fingertips down the sleeve of the blue gown, smiling to herself. It was perfect for her tastes, and in a colour that Scott would love too. She couldn’t have asked for a better combination. And Penelope hadn’t tried to spruce it up – yet. 

_There’s still time_ , she reminded herself, tugging on her top. 

When she stepped out, the blue dress draped over her arm, the rejected ones in the other hand, Penelope was eyeing a display of sparkling hair ornaments. 

_Should’ve known._

Cathy came up to help her put the other dresses back. “I thought you said that woman put her ring in her pocket,” she said as they worked. 

“She did. Why?”

“Because that guy found it,” Cathy told her, nodding towards where the man with the trophy wife was talking animatedly with the shop assistant. “Like he needs another six-thousand dollars.”

“Maybe it fell out of her pocket,” Anne theorised, shrugging. 

Last dress put back, they headed over to join Penelope, who was trying to persuade Kayo to try on a hairclip, unsuccessfully judging by both of their expressions. 

“Here’s my card, get her to call me,” the man at the counter was saying, extending a white rectangle towards the assistant.

“I can’t possibly do that, sir. She’s a client! I insist you hand the ring to me.”

“Oh, now hold on a minute,” the man said. “Now I see what’s going on here. She offered a reward, didn’t she?”

“Not at all, it’s a matter of principle,” the assistant stated adamantly. 

“How much for? You know what, doesn’t matter. Why don’t you give me…five-hundred out of the register as a finder’s fee and I’ll give you the ring.” 

Plainly aware that five-hundred would be nothing compared to the six-thousand the woman was offering as a reward, the assistant made a show of considering the idea before reluctantly relenting. 

The exchange had caught the attention of all four women, and not even Kayo or Penelope were pretending not to listen anymore. Movement out the corner of her eye made Anne glance to her left. In the mirror next to the hair ornament display, she could just see a familiar figure peering around the corner of the building. It was the designer woman. 

“They’re together,” she realised with a jolt, and the other three glanced at her. “They’re working together, it’s a sting!” 

Penelope snapped into action with intimidating speed. “Don’t give that man any money!” she barked, making the assistant jump. 

Unfortunately the bills were already in her hand, and the man snatched them before making a run for it. Kayo vaulted the counter in a single leap, barely missing the assistant, and sprinted after him. Anne and Cathy hurried to the window, watching her tackle the man before he’d even managed to run across the road. Behind them, Penelope was calmly calling the police. Anne glanced to where she’d seen the woman, but she’d predictably vanished. 

Kayo hauled the man up, manoeuvring him back towards the shop with one arm twisted behind his back. The wad of bills was scattered across the sidewalk, but no one was touching it, which made Anne wonder exactly what Kayo had said to the onlookers. Leaving her dress on the counter, she headed out, Cathy and Penelope at her side, and began to pick them up. 

When they’d managed to retrieve the full five-hundred and returned to the shop, the assistant was red-faced with mortification, and the man was ranting at Kayo, who remained unfazed. 

“I’m with the GDF,” she informed him, which was true enough that it was a valid threat. “We’ve just called the police, but I could just as easily call my superiors. I think you’d find our accommodations a lot less comfortable than theirs, but you can go there if you prefer.”

At her calm words, the man fell sullenly silent. 

Penelope handed the money back to the assistant. “Here. I’m terribly sorry we didn’t see what was happening sooner.”

“That’s okay,” the assistant said, shoving the bills back into the cash register. “I don’t even know how you _did_ see what was happening.”

“That was Anne,” Cathy piped up with a proud smile. 

Anne awkwardly shrugged off the attention. “I…saw the woman put her ring in her pocket. Then I saw her again outside watching what he was up to,” she explained, nodding towards the man.

He was looking rather disgruntled at her story, and Anne hoped he wouldn’t take it as a lesson in what not to do next time around. 

Her comm beeped, and she raised it. “Yes?”

“I’m getting reports of cops being called to your location, is everything okay?” John asked, a concerned frown knitting his brows. 

Anne frowned back. “Are you spying on me?”

“Nope, just checking up.”

“Hmm,” she said, unconvinced. “Tell your brother that I’m fine. What exactly does he think will happen to me while I’m with Kayo and Lady Penelope?”

John seemed amused. “Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why…”

“We just foiled a few con artists, John,” Penelope added, leaning in so the holo would pick her up. “That’s all.”

“That’s all?” he repeated, startled. “How…?”

“Got to go, things to do!” Penelope barrelled on, deactivating Anne’s comm. “Honestly.”

“You’re International Rescue?” the man mumbled. 

“Yes,” Penelope said brightly, “we are. Fortunately for this poor lady here.” 

The assistant smiled a little sheepishly. 

“This is the first time I’ve ever had to rescue…money,” Kayo spoke up, sounding a touch bemused by the idea. 

“Maybe you guys will branch out,” Cathy said. 

“Not likely!” 

Handing the con man over to the police was a straightforward affair, and he sat glowering in the back of one of their cars while an officer took statements from everyone. When that was all wrapped up, Anne was finally able to purchase her dress. The assistant insisted on giving her a discount as a thank you, and tried to throw in a hair ornament, but Anne firmly refused. 

“You need something for your hair,” Penelope declared. 

“I agree,” Anne said. “But I was thinking more flowers than crystals.” 

To her surprise, Penelope beamed. “Oh yes, flowers would be wonderful. I know a brilliant chap in London who crafts the most realistic synthetic roses.”

Anne bit back a sigh, sending her a smile. “Fine. We’ll go and see him. But not today.” 

After bidding Cathy goodbye, the others returned to Tracy Island, where Scott, Gordon and Virgil awaited them. 

“So…you went dress shopping and busted a con artist,” Virgil began. 

“Possibly two, if they manage to identify the woman,” Penelope said, sounding very pleased at the idea. 

Gordon grinned. “That’s brilliant. You can’t do anything normally, can you?” 

“Normal always strikes me as rather dull.” 

“Well, I’ve had about as much as I can take of shopping,” Kayo announced. “I’m going to go and take Thunderbird Shadow for a spin.” 

“Thanks for coming along,” Anne said. “I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. It wasn’t as bad as I thought,” she admitted. “At least I got to rugby tackle a bad guy.”

“The coveted highlight of any shopping experience,” Scott said dryly. 

“Exactly,” Kayo said with a grin, heading off towards the hangar. 

“Alan will be amused to hear about this,” Virgil commented, smiling as he retreated to the couch. 

Since the youngest Tracy would have a whole week’s worth of rescues to catch up on when he returned from his college visit, Anne doubted that her story would rank in the most interesting. 

Gordon and Penelope were walking away in the direction of the veranda, already deep in conversation. Scott eyed the bag Anne carried with interest. 

“Can I see?” 

“No,” she replied adamantly. “I’m going to keep some aspects of tradition.”

He smiled, pulling her close for a greeting kiss. “Will I like it?”

“Yes,” she said with confidence. “You’ll love it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I got the idea for this from rewatching episodes of Hustle. 
> 
> So interest seems to have drastically dropped for this story, which is fine, this was an experimental format, but it means I'm probably going to post the couple of chapters I have fairly quickly and then call it a day. I probably won't be writing any new ones.


	12. Making it Official

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So a couple of people misinterpreted my note last chapter as more dramatic than I intended. Looking back, I can see why that happened, so apologies for wording it badly! I was just trying to keep people informed as to my plans for this story. I don't plan to quit writing altogether.
> 
> This is the first of two wedding-related chapters. This one mostly just exists because of a conversation I wanted Scott and Jeff to have.

**Making it Official.**

Scott had heard that wedding days were stressful, but his morning was pretty chilled so far. He doubted the same could be said for Anne, and he sent her a mental wave of sympathy. Due to their relatives insisting on sticking to the dumb tradition of bride and groom not seeing each other before the ceremony, he’d been forced back into his old room for a night, while Anne’s mom, sister and best friend went to stay with her at the apartment. Earlier that morning, he knew Penelope had also headed over there, although Kayo had so far managed to get out of it. No doubt she was off hiding somewhere, which meant that no one would ever find her. 

The ceremony would be held at three, which left plenty of travel time for those who were being escorted over to the island from elsewhere. Scott knew Alan and Gordon had the task of flying a few guests, in order to maintain the secrecy of the island’s location. He was glad they would be kept occupied. He wasn’t sure he could deal with their energy for the entire day. 

The guest list was fairly modest. Anne had only wanted her mom, sister, Maud and Viresh. His side was only a little larger, mostly made up of those who already lived on the island. Colonel Casey would be there, of course. She’d been a friend of the family for years. Same applied to Kayo’s father, Kyrano. Penelope and Parker were technically guests. Scott didn’t have many friends. In his line of work, there wasn’t much time to maintain the relationships, but he’d invited Tycho Reeves, with whom he’d gotten on well while the engineer had stayed on the island to help Brains install the transport in the tunnels. They’d shared a non-alcoholic beer on more than one evening and put the world to rights. He’d also invited Ridley, mostly for John’s sake, although the whole family liked her a lot. 

EOS was directing emergency calls to local authorities and the GDF for the day, which meant they were all off the hook to enjoy the wedding. As long as the GDF didn’t deploy the rescue bots again, Scott was happy with the arrangement. 

“You awake?” came a voice outside his door. 

Scott crossed the room to open it, revealing Virgil sporting shower-damp hair and holding a coffee mug. 

“Awake, exercised and showered,” Scott answered him. 

“I didn’t see you in the gym,” Virgil said almost accusingly, although why he thought Scott would lie about exercising was anyone’s guess. 

“I went for a hike up the cliff. It’s going to be a nice day.”

“You’re getting married,” Virgil scoffed. “Of course it’s going to be a nice day.” 

Scott couldn’t help grinning. “True. Is that coffee for me?”

“Hell no,” Virgil protested, moving the mug further away. “Go get your own!” 

“You’re supposed to be my best man.”

“Since when do best man duties run to fetching you stuff?” Virgil asked validly. 

Scott shrugged. “It was worth a try.” 

The decision to make his oldest sibling his best man had been an easy one to make, although he’d been a little concerned about the others feeling left out. Fortunately, none of them had been surprised, and there didn’t seem to be any bitterness. The wedding was very informal, but Scott had decided he wanted a best man, and not just to transport the rings. Anne had declined bridesmaids, declaring that they wouldn’t be necessary, but she seemed to have acquired a whole heap of female help in getting ready anyway. 

Once Scott started up the coffee maker, it wasn’t long before the others emerged, the smell drawing them out of wherever they’d been hiding. He ended up making drinks for himself, his three youngest siblings, his father, Grandma, and a refill for Virgil. That hardly seemed fair, but he chose not to comment. 

They spent a pleasant hour sitting around the dining table, chatting about family history. Grandma relayed the story of when she’d married Grandpa Tracy, and then Jeff told them about his wedding to Lucille. Both were sweet stories that they’d all heard before, but each told of a wedding vastly different to a simple beach ceremony, and Scott was grateful that he and Anne were on the same page regarding what they wanted. He didn’t think Gordon would have the same fortune should he and Penelope ever get to that stage. 

When he was done with his coffee, Scott jetpacked across the island, (the fastest way to get around), to take a look at the set-up for the wedding. Brains was already there, making sure the lights would work. Everything seemed to be in place. An archway of woven bamboo decorated with white flowers indicated where they would stand with the registrar. In front of it, a collection of chairs flanked a short aisle of neatly-raked sand. Someone, (probably Virgil), had even gotten fancy with the rake, tracing wavy lines into it so that it somewhat resembled a zen garden. 

A short distance away, where Brains was running checks with MAX, a temporary dance floor had been laid, and tables were set up ready for the buffet that Penelope had insisted on being put in charge of. Scott had no doubt that she’d gotten some fancy chef to make it all. That was definitely a plus, but mostly he was just grateful to her that he didn’t have to worry about it himself. 

The cake was already there, sitting on a small table of its own under its protective cover. It was three tiers of tastefully decorated artistry, topped with sugar flowers. Scott wasn’t much fussed about what it looked like, as long as it tasted good, but he had to admit the flowers were impressive just from an engineering point of view. Gordon had been threatening to add a miniature Thunderbird 1 to the top, but Scott was pleased to see that he didn’t seem to have had time. Yet. 

“How’s it going, Brains?” he called. 

“P-pretty well. Just one more check to go.” 

Scott nodded. “Great. Thanks, it’s going to look amazing.” 

“That’s the plan,” Brains said with a smile. 

“I’m going to head back. Don’t forget to eat, okay?”

“I won’t,” Brains assured him, not entirely convincingly. 

Back at the house, Scott scarfed down a quick, light lunch, then decided it was time to get ready. It was at that point that Kayo reappeared and hurried back to her room for a shower, looking rather pleased with herself as she did so. 

“Where’ve you been?” Scott asked her suspiciously. 

“Just out for some fresh air.”

“For five hours?”

She nodded. “Fresh air is good for you, Scott,” she said, deadpan. 

“Right.” 

She ducked through her door with a grin, and he shook his head, smiling. Back in his old room, he got dressed in black trousers that were an upgrade from his usual jeans, but not quite the crisp smartness of formal wear. Then came a white button-up shirt that he chose to leave untucked. Penelope would be scandalised, most likely, but the island was warm, and being outside on the beach would be warmer. He would prefer to get through his wedding in relative comfort. Besides, he knew Anne. She wouldn’t be overly formal either. 

They’d decided to allow their guests the same freedom, requesting that they dress comfortably but nicely. So long as nobody turned up just in a bathing suit, Scott wasn’t particularly bothered what anyone wore. Deep down, he was hoping that Gordon chose one of his less garish Hawaiian shirts, if only to ensure that Anne got the attention she deserved. 

When he headed down to the lounge, he was pleasantly surprised to see his aquatic younger brother garbed in smart jeans and a plain, sunny yellow shirt. In fact, all four of his brothers and his father were in dark trousers and plain shirts. John and his father had chosen to tuck their shirts in, but the others had done as Scott had. As best man, Virgil had chosen to wear white to match him, but the others sported a variety of colours. Gordon’s, predictably, was the brightest. 

“Well, we’re gonna set off and pick up the guests,” Alan spoke up.

“See you on FAB2,” Gordon added with a grin. 

The entire wedding party, including Anne, was travelling to the beach via Penelope’s luxury yacht. They had all decided that that was an easier solution than making their guests hike through the undergrowth, but it had meant that they’d had to construct a temporary jetty so that they could all disembark. Tracy Island had some beautiful locations, but none of them were particularly tourist-friendly. 

As the two youngest Tracys headed off, Jeff approached Scott with a surprisingly serious expression on his face. 

“Got a minute?” 

Scott nodded, curiosity piqued. “Sure. We have to enjoy the peace before the guests arrive.”

Jeff quirked a smile. “Come on. I want to talk to you.” 

They made their way downstairs, heading out onto the paved terrace that surrounded the pool. There, they started walking a slow circuit around it, and Jeff broached his subject. 

“I just wanted to take a second to tell you how proud I am,” he began. 

Scott shot him a glance of touched surprise. “I know, Dad.”

“I don’t just mean of the work you do for International Rescue,” Jeff explained. “I know you remember what it was like when your mom died – what _I_ was like – but…despite that, you’ve never shied away from finding someone, from letting someone get close.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Scott murmured, remembering how he’d tried to push Anne away, mistakenly thinking it was for the best. 

“I know you had a brief…setback, shall we say?” Jeff said with a knowing smile. “But you got past it. And I’m glad.” 

Scott glanced at him, unsure if he really deserved the praise. Still, he chose to focus on his father’s words. “The days after Mom died were horrible. I’ll never be able to forget them. But they’re not what I think about when I remember her. I remember what it was like when we were all together. I remember what _you_ were like. And those are the memories I choose to keep hold of.” He shrugged. “Seeing how the two of you functioned as a partnership…how could I not want that for myself? Even at the risk of…of losing her.” 

That scenario, that he knew had a fifty-fifty chance of becoming true one day, sometimes sprang up to ambush him, causing a jolt of panic, but it was quickly quashed. It was a sad inevitability of life that people would come and go. It was unavoidable. He just had to ensure that the time they had together made it all worthwhile, and he already knew that that would be easy. 

Jeff nodded, as if he could guess Scott’s thoughts. “Like I said, son. I’m proud of you. And I’m glad you found someone that loves you as much as Anne does. I couldn’t hope for a better partner for you. I know you’ll always fight for each other, and…well, that’s just comforting to me.” 

“I’m glad you like her, Dad,” Scott said. He’d said it before, but he was still grateful. “I can’t imagine how much it would suck to have a wedge in this family.”

“What with Anne, Penny and Ridley, I feel we’ve gotten pretty lucky so far,” Jeff said with a smile. “John and Ridley’ll be next, I’d put money on it.”

Scott looked at him in amusement, and they turned a corner of the pool. “You think they’re forever?” 

“I do. Not sure if they’ve realised it quite yet, but I have.”

“Gordon and Penelope will need to make some big decisions if they want to move forward,” Scott observed. “Neither one of them seems to want to compromise their lifestyle. But that said, they seem to be happy as they are.”

“For now,” Jeff conceded. “But it won’t satisfy them forever. One of them will decide they want more.”

“It’ll be Gordon,” Scott said with certainty. “I think he quite likes the idea of having a family. You didn’t see it, Dad, but he was so good with our little fan when we made our appearance at the air show. Now that he’s getting older, I think he’d like to settle down. In that aspect of his life, anyway. And Penelope…I honestly don’t know if she would want that.” 

“Me neither,” Jeff admitted. “But she’s surprised us before.”

Scott smiled. “True. Guess we’ll see.”

“Jury’s still out on whether your other two brothers will settle down.”

“Alan’s still so young,” Scott felt obliged to say.

Jeff sent him a sly glance. “You saying you didn’t hook up with anyone in college?”

Scott couldn’t help the upward twitch of his lips as he cast his mind back. “No, I’m not saying that. But…I’m sure I was older than Alan.”

“I don’t think you were,” his father said with amusement. “He’s almost an adult. It’ll be good for him to forge some ties with people outside of the organisation. Has he mentioned anyone to you, by the way?”

“No,” Scott said, shaking his head. “I doubt he would tell _me_. You might want to try interrogating Gordon instead.” 

“I might just do that. If only to see him coming up with elaborate alibis before he realises it’s Alan I want to talk about.” 

Scott sniggered at the painfully accurate scenario. “And Virgil? Any predictions for him?”

Jeff seemed to consider the question for a lengthy moment. “No. Not right now.” 

They walked in companionable silence for a moment, completing one circuit of the pool and starting on another. 

“Do you think Mom would have approved?” Scott spoke up, voicing a thought that crossed his mind at semi-frequent intervals. 

“Of Anne? Absolutely.” There wasn’t a single shred of doubt in his father’s voice, and it made Scott smile. “She wanted the same for you as I do: happiness, in whatever form you prefer. She would have liked how well Anne’s fitted into this family. She would have related to it.”

“Fitting in?” Scott asked. 

Jeff nodded. “You know your grandmother has some pretty high standards. Lucille always felt lucky that she met them. I’m sure Anne does too.” 

“Grandma’s not that bad.”

“Hmm well. She’s always been softer with you boys than she was with me,” Jeff said with a fond smile. 

Scott smiled too. They walked on for a few steps more, and then his father halted them, turning to face him. 

“I don’t have any wisdom to impart to you, kiddo,” he said sincerely. “You’ve lived together, you‘ve already started on the path you’ll tread together. Your life won’t change all that much, except that you’ll share a name now too. Today is special because it makes things official, but it’s not a beginning, it’s a milestone along the way. You’ve already been through so much together, and emerged all the stronger on the other side. I know that’s what you’ll keep on doing. Just like your mom and me.” His smile took on a slightly wistful edge. “She’d be so proud. If she was here today, she’d say the same thing. Only…probably a lot more articulately.” 

Scott managed a laugh, touched by the words and the sentiment behind them. “Thanks, Dad.” 

He pulled his father in for a hug, noting as he did so the few inches of height advantage he had over him. It had been years since he’d first realised he’d grown taller than his dad, but it still felt odd sometimes. Jeff had been the towering heroic figure for his entire life. In many ways, he still was, but Scott now felt a sense of protectiveness over him that hadn’t been there before, and the difference in height just seemed to personify it. 

A plane flew overhead as they stepped apart, and Jeff glanced upwards, shading his eyes. His expression brightened. 

“Looks like Kyrano’s plane,” he said. 

Scott smiled. It had been a long time since he’d seen Kayo’s father. “Guess I should go and play host, then.” 

“Yup, afraid so. That’s part of being the groom.”

“Well, if this all goes as well as I believe it will, I’ll only have to do this once.” 

Jeff chuckled. “Very true.” 

As it turned out, it was easy. Greeting friends and accepting good wishes was a nice way to spend the time while they waited for Penelope to make sure Anne’s party was hidden away on board FAB2. When they were permitted, they all followed suit, taking the short trip around the island to the jetty. Scott was grateful to see that Parker had already arranged the food, and Brains had tidied up the tools he’d been using earlier on the lights. 

Scott had never once wavered in his decision to marry Anne, nor had he felt the slightest bit nervous. But as he stood facing the registrar with Virgil’s reassuring presence at his side, he couldn’t tame the flare of anticipation knowing that the woman who would very soon be his wife was about to walk up behind him. 

As they waited for her to disembark the boat, he tried hard not to listen to the excited whispering from the guests, nor the sounds of multiple pairs of feet on the jetty. Soon, Cathy appeared to stand at the other side of the aisle, a wide smile on her face. Scott tentatively returned it. He watched her looking at what he was not yet permitted to see, tensing a little when she gave a small nod. She started to sing a wordless aria that he’d never heard before, one that he suddenly suspected his brother had written. When he sent Virgil a questioning glance, his brother’s grin told him everything he needed to know. His heart clenched in moved gratitude. Virgil prodded his arm, and in a rush, Scott remembered that he could now turn.

He did so almost comically fast, finally setting eyes on his bride. Anne looked uneasy to be the focus of everyone’s gaze, even though their wedding was small, but her smile was genuine and infectious. Her hair was loose, decorated with white flowers, and she held a small bouquet that matched it. Her dress was blue, and he almost let out a surprised laugh. Scott’s smile widened at the sight of her, seeking reassurance in her appearance, doing his best to mirror it back to her. Her eyes latched onto his like a lifeline, and soon she was by his side, the light, fluttering sleeves of her gown giving her an ethereal air. She only looked away from him to hand her bouquet to Cathy, who finished her song and took her seat. 

Scott took her hand, not caring whether he was supposed to yet or not. Anne squeezed his fingers, the look in her eyes repeating all of his own certainties that they were exactly where they were supposed to be. 

“You look beautiful,” he whispered. 

“Thank you.” 

With one last exchanged smile, they both faced forward, ready to exchange vows and rings. It was finally time to make it all official.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter: the reception party.


	13. Taking Risks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this chapter serves a dual purpose. It shows the wedding guests interacting in a fun way, and it also checks in with Cathy, since we haven't seen her in much depth since her ordeal with Ed. I felt it was important to show how she's coping, since we've only seen the front she projects to Anne.
> 
> Trying to keep track of all these characters and who was where doing what with who kind of felt like being a teacher on a school trip trying to wrangle kids. I'm now even more thankful that they only had a relatively small wedding!

**Taking Risks.**

It had been beautiful. Not what she would have chosen for herself, but still lovely. A ceremony bathed in rose gold from the sun, against a backdrop of gentle waves on one side, and lush tropical trees on the other. Cathy had visited Tracy Island before, but never this side of it. Even after dark it looked amazing, lit by tall, low-powered torches stabbed into the sand, turning it orange in mimicked firelight. The temporary dance floor that Brains had constructed was filling up with couples.

Scott and Anne were at the centre of it, of course, looking quite blissfully, sickeningly happy. Surrounding them, John and Ridley O’Bannon, Jeff and Penelope, Brains and Grandma Tracy, Gordon and Maud, and a handful of other people she barely knew. Even her own mom was there, being gallantly escorted by Alan. And of course Virgil, who had immediately been claimed by Viresh and now seemed to be in a silent argument over who was going to lead. Cathy smiled, watching, not surprised in the least when Virgil won. 

The music was being supplied by Brains’ robotic assistant, MAX, who seemed to have inbuilt speakers, and Cathy was glad that she wasn’t expected to sing all evening. She’d sung for her sister, providing a short aria for Anne to walk up the aisle to, but she wanted to be a guest rather than an entertainer. 

“Not dancing?” 

Turning, Cathy saw Kayo, dressed in camel-coloured slacks and a blouse; her version of dressy. Her hair wasn’t secured in its usual ponytail, but mostly loose, with just the side sections fastened back out of her face. Although it was a much softer look for her, she hadn’t relented to wearing one of the flashy hair clips that Penelope had tried to persuade her to buy. 

“Not at the moment,” Cathy answered her. “Nor you?”

“Trying to avoid it,” Kayo stated, eyeing the floor. “Although my dad will probably make me at some point. At least he’s distracted dancing with Colonel Casey.” 

Cathy smiled, and they stood in companionable silence, watching the dancers. When the song ended, some of the couples changed things up, resulting in a few people vacating the floor. Anne had been swept up by Gordon, while Scott danced with his new mother-in-law. Jeff claimed Colonel Casey, and Penelope a delighted-looking Viresh. Maud made her way across the sand, smiling in greeting.

“Hi, girls!” she said. 

Kayo and Cathy replied in unison. 

“Lovely ceremony,” Maud commented. 

“Gorgeous,” Cathy agreed. 

“Hey, uh…do you know who that guy is? With the glasses, dancing with John’s girlfriend?” 

It took Cathy a while to find him in the crowd, but when she did she was unable to help. “No, sorry. I think he’s a friend of Scott’s.” 

Fortunately, Kayo had more information. “That’s Tycho Reeves.”

Cathy frowned, the name sounding familiar. “Isn’t he like an inventor or something?”

“He’s an engineer,” Kayo corrected. 

“Is he single?” Maud asked.

Kayo seemed amused by the blunt question. “Sorry, I have no idea. Why don’t you ask him to dance and find out?” 

Maud nodded once, an expression of determination crossing her face. “Think I will,” she said before marching back in the direction of the dance floor. 

“She’s ballsy,” Cathy commented, admiringly. For all the confidence she usually portrayed, she knew she’d never have the guts to simply go and ask someone if they were single.

“In her own way,” Kayo conceded, reminding Cathy that she was talking to a woman who jumped out of planes and kicked asses for a living. 

Alan materialised beside them and shyly asked Kayo to dance. The woman made a show of rolling her eyes, but agreed to one dance. Cathy smiled. Alan still harboured a little crush, but it seemed clear even to her that to Kayo, he was just a kid brother. 

Her eyes strayed to Virgil, who was now dancing with her sister. Her own little crush. One that she had expected to brush off, but which was still hanging around almost three years later. It made her nervous. It still felt too soon after Ed to have romantic feelings for anyone. She couldn’t risk it. She couldn’t be taken in by someone again. 

No one would be surprised if her secret came out. Despite whatever else was going on, she and Virgil were friends, collaborators. Anne had often teased her about that. Cathy had brushed it off nonchalantly, but it bothered her. Not that she would ever let Anne know that. Her sister would be horrified if she thought Cathy was taking her words too much to heart. 

Shoving the thoughts aside, Cathy drifted over to the buffet and swiped one of the unnecessarily-complicated miniature sandwiches. Gordon was already there, investigating a blue cupcake. Having come from caterers of Penelope’s choosing, it was, of course, a very _posh_ cupcake, featuring frosting that could almost be described as a sculpture, dusted with edible glitter and paint. Cathy doubted there was a single non-organic ingredient in it. Eventually, Gordon decided it was safe, and took a large bite, ruining the sculpture and getting frosting on his nose. Cathy hid a smile. He’d just proved the reason why she was keeping away from the cupcakes. She was having a good make-up day, she wasn’t about to ruin it. 

Gordon glanced over his shoulder at the dance floor, then, apparently having decided it was safe, he reached into his pocket. Cathy watched in amusement as he set a small Thunderbird 1 model amongst the sugar flowers on the top of the wedding cake. It actually looked quite stately, and she sent him a nod of approval. He grinned, winked, and turned away, resuming his attack on the cupcake. 

Cathy smiled and bit into her sandwich, and that was, of course, the very moment Virgil approached.

“Are they good?” he asked.

Mouth full, Cathy nodded, chewing faster so she could speak. “They are,” she said, swallowing. “Just…tiny.” 

He smiled, picking one up and eating it in a single bite. He made a small noise of appreciation as he chewed, and Cathy giggled. 

“Should’ve known you’d be here.” 

They both turned to see Viresh, who was looking very suave in a slim-fit suit. He was the only person who had turned up in complete formal wear, and didn’t seem to mind the temperature or the sand. 

“Are you talking to me or him?” Cathy asked. 

“You, darling, although him being here is a bonus.” He sent Virgil an admiring smile. 

Since Virgil had his mouth full with another sandwich, he could do little in response but shrug. 

“Why aren’t you dancing?” Viresh demanded.

“Just don’t feel like it,” Cathy said defensively. 

“Virgil, haven’t you asked her? For shame!” 

“Haven’t had chance,” Virgil replied. “You grabbed me first, remember?”

By Viresh’s slightly smug smile, he was aware. “Yes, but that was then. This is now. You should dance with him, Cath, he dances superbly.” 

Virgil shrugged again. “What can I say, there are side-effects to being friends with an English aristocrat.” 

At the mention of Penelope, Viresh’s eyes shone with admiration. “She is a goddess, isn’t she?” He sighed. “Honestly, why aren’t any of you people available?”

Cathy sent Virgil a sidelong glance, knowing that he _was_. Unless she was behind on gossip. 

“I thought you were seeing a physiotherapist,” Virgil pointed out. 

Viresh shrugged one shoulder, looking falsely casual. “I tried. I asked. He said no. It’s doubly annoying because now I’m still single _and_ I need a new therapist.” His words were flippant, but there was an underline of genuine hurt beneath them. 

“Sorry,” Cathy spoke up. “That sucks. But you know there’s nothing wrong with being single. It has its benefits.” 

“I know there’s nothing wrong with it,” Viresh said. “I’m just not very good at it. I’m one of those people that needs company. But at least I can admit it. There’s nothing worse than denial.” 

Cathy narrowed her eyes, unsure if that was aimed at her, or if she was just reading into it. 

“It couldn’t hurt to take some time for yourself,” Virgil advised. “I’m sure you’ll find someone soon. You’re a good-looking guy, and you make people laugh.”

Viresh lit up like a Christmas tree. “You think so? Are you sure you don’t…?”

“I am,” Virgil said. “But thanks.” 

Viresh did not seem at all surprised or put-off. “Fine. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He turned to the dance floor, raising a thoughtful hand to his chin. “Maybe Maud will grant me a dance for old time’s sake.”

“Okay, but do not interrupt her if she’s with Tycho Reeves,” Cathy told him. “She’ll kill you.”

Face displaying open intrigue at this development, Viresh nodded. “Okay. I’ll go investigate.” He melted into the wavering shadows. 

Virgil and Cathy exchanged an amused glance. 

“How many times has he asked you out now?” Cathy asked conversationally. 

“Only twice,” Virgil replied, snagging another sandwich. “He doesn’t mean it.”

“How do you know?” She was curious despite the juvenile flash of jealousy. “He’s crushed on you for years.”

“Yes, but we don’t actually have that much in common. He knows we wouldn’t be well suited.” 

Cathy, unsure of what to say next, turned her attention back to the dance floor. Gordon had managed to snare Penelope, and thankfully seemed to have wiped the frosting off his nose. Parker was watching from the sidelines, swaying to the music with Sherbet in his arms. Cathy smiled at the sight. Anne and Scott were chatting to Jeff and Colonel Casey. As if sensing her gaze, Anne turned her head, finding Cathy across the crowd.

_You okay?_ her glance seemed to say.

Cathy nodded and smiled. Even if the answer was no, she would never have let on. Not on Anne’s wedding day. 

“Our siblings make a handsome couple, don’t they?” she commented. 

“They do,” Virgil agreed, dusting crumbs off his hands. “Though don’t let Scott know I admitted he’s handsome. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Cathy grinned. “Don’t tell me you boys compete over who’s handsomest?”

Virgil peered at her with slightly narrowed eyes, perhaps wondering why ‘handsomest’ was a real word when it sounded made up. 

“Not really, we all know it’s John,” he said. “Guy could cut himself on those cheekbones. Plus that perfect quiff of hair? He’s wasted up there in space.”

“I can hear you, you know,” came John’s voice.

Cathy almost laughed when Virgil automatically looked at a wrist comm that wasn’t there before realising that the voice came from behind them. Turning, she saw John and Ridley examining the buffet table. Ridley was smirking openly at Virgil’s description, while John looked a little like a disappointed teacher. 

“I knew you were there,” Virgil said with confidence. 

Cathy scoffed. “Why did you look for your comm, then?” 

Ridley laughed at the question, and John raised a smug eyebrow. 

“Habit,” Virgil defended. 

“He’s not wrong, though,” Ridley said. “Your hair is pretty perfect.” 

“Thank you,” John said grudgingly. 

Ridley seemed to be used to his tone, as her smile widened. Cathy didn’t know either of them very well. John was usually on Thunderbird 5 whenever she visited the island, and she’d only met Ridley once at Christmas. It was clear to her that they were well suited, however. They even matched. John’s rust-coloured shirt complimented Ridley’s red dress perfectly, and she wondered if they’d planned it. 

Ridley’s eyes lit up as MAX transitioned into the next song. “Oh, I love this one! Come on!”

“But…”

“It will still be there when we get back,” she said firmly, grabbing John’s hand.

With a forlorn but resigned look at the food, John let himself be dragged away. Virgil and Cathy exchanged a look of amusement. 

“Do you want to dance?” Virgil asked her, offering a small smile.

Cathy hesitated. The truth was, she did want to, but she was wary, even afraid. Since Ed, she hadn’t dated anyone, or even been close to a man in any way that could be construed as romantic, other than on stage. (And that had been surprisingly straightforward, no doubt because she was playing a part.) To begin with, it had been because she hadn’t wanted to, plain and simple. She’d wanted to focus on herself, to remind herself that she was a complete person without him. That had been encouragingly easy. She’d never been drawn into his web as much as she could have been, and she was constantly grateful for that. She knew other people weren’t always so fortunate. In the last year or so, however, she’d avoided dating because it was easier than facing it. 

Cathy suspected she was like Viresh. She craved companionship. Anne had lived independently for years and had been happy. She’d met Scott by chance. Although Cathy had since followed in her footsteps, even living in the same apartment she had, she couldn’t say she was entirely happy. Part of it was down to the man beside her. 

She’d gotten to know Virgil quite well since their siblings had been together. She knew with almost total certainty that he wouldn’t hurt her. Still…she wasn’t sure she could take his hand. 

Perhaps it was because of the nature of his work, or perhaps it was just because he was Virgil, but he seemed to know exactly why she was hesitating. 

“We’ll stay at the edge of the floor,” he said. “If you want to stop, we can just step away.” 

Cathy sent him what she hoped was a grateful smile, although she suspected there was a touch of disbelief in there too. Sometimes, it was hard for her to accept that the Tracys were real. They always seemed too good to be true. 

_Come on, take a chance_ , she silently urged herself. She knew she needed to take a step forward in trusting potential romantic partners again, (whether they were truly viable options or not), and trusting Virgil Tracy was probably the safest bet she could find. Swallowing down her anxiety, she nodded. 

He smiled and nodded back. True to his word, he led her to the most shadowy corner of the dance floor, where few people would look, and she could back down if she wanted to. Cathy was proud of herself for barely faltering when she had to take his hand and step close. His arm around her waist was firm but light, and left her in no doubt that she’d be able to pull away if she wanted to. A brief, unwanted memory of Ed’s sometimes-restrictive hold flashed through her mind, and she angrily shoved it aside. It had no place in her life anymore. 

Virgil was taller and broader than Ed had been. So much so, in fact, that Cathy suspected Ed would run a mile at the sight of him if she ever needed Virgil to back her up. Not that that was likely, as Ed would be serving time for many years yet, but still… The image was amusing. Virgil was easily the most physically intimidating member of International Rescue, but probably the gentlest as well. A true gentle giant. Being in his arms…felt safe.

Cathy admitted it to herself with a little pang of dismay. She’d suspected that would be the case, and she’d been a little afraid to confirm it. She didn’t know if she wanted to act on her feelings for him. Having someone who made her feel safe was very appealing, but she wanted companionship, not a crutch. That might be easy, but it wasn’t an answer. It wouldn’t be fair to him either. For a long time, she’d been afraid that she liked him because she felt in need of rescuing, but over time, as she slowly mended herself, she’d come to realise she was doing them both a disservice with that assumption.

She inhaled, doing her best to shut down her over-achieving brain. It was a dance at her sister’s wedding, not something to be analysed. Besides, she doubted she’d let herself act on her feelings until Virgil gave her a sign that he liked her too. With Anne and Scott joining their two families and everyone getting along so well, the last thing she wanted to do was create drama. She’d already accepted that she could be waiting a long time. Virgil was warm and friendly to everyone. Cathy suspected he’d even be civil to his worst enemy. It was an admirable trait, but it only served to make her confused about the way he acted with her. 

They were good friends. She could confide in him, and he her. And he made her laugh. But that wasn’t incontestable proof. That was just…Virgil. 

He smiled at her in that reassuring way he had, that she was sure had comforted a great many people he’d rescued. “You okay?”

She nodded, returning the smile. “I’m good. It’s just…been a while since I’ve done anything like this. You know…since Ed.”

“I figured,” he said with a nod. “I’m sure you know this, but maybe it’ll be helpful to hear it from someone else. You can’t let the memory of him stop you from living your life.”

Cathy had heard similar helpful advice from others, but she didn’t seem to mind it coming from him. Perhaps because she knew it didn’t come from a place of condescension. 

“I know. I’m working on it.” 

She remembered how she’d been when they first met. Anne and Scott had rescued her from Ed, and she’d bottled everything up as a coping mechanism, and had been grateful to her sister for providing distractions until she was ready to face it all. Virgil and Gordon had been part of that distraction, and she’d always feel thankful that there had been someone she could just talk music with rather than deal with the rest. At the time, it had been exactly what she needed. 

“I know you are,” Virgil said, lifting his arm so she could twirl under it. 

Cathy followed his lead, enjoying the way her emerald skirts flared out around her. It was such a tiny thing, but it made her smile. 

“I’d forgotten how much I like this dress,” she explained, seeing his curious look. 

“It’s pretty.” 

“Thanks.” She accepted the compliment with a smile, but didn’t read too much into it. Instead, she twirled again before returning her hand to his shoulder, trying hard to keep her more superficial thoughts at bay as she idly wondered how long he spent in the gym on a daily basis. 

It really wasn’t fair. That he should be the most likeable, most decent, most heroic man she knew, and also be built like a superhero with movie star good looks and the warmest pair of chocolate brown eyes that she’d ever seen. How could any other man hope to compare to a Tracy? It was no wonder Anne had barely looked at anyone else after meeting Scott. 

_You’re screwed, Ashton_ , Cathy told herself with an air of resignation, looking into Virgil’s face and letting herself wonder for a moment. 

“Look at those two,” he said with amusement, rotating them and nodding towards the middle of the dance floor. 

Cathy followed his gaze, immediately seeing Gordon and Penelope, who were engaged in an elaborate Charleston that barely fit the beat of the song. The other dancers had drifted towards the edge to give them space, and some had stopped altogether in order to watch. 

“They’re good,” she commented with some surprise. She’d never have taken Gordon for a dancer. Nor thought that Penelope would let loose enough to dance anything that wasn’t a Viennese waltz. 

Beyond them, on the opposite side of the floor, Scott and Anne watched in apparent entertained bemusement. They were barely dancing anymore, but simply swayed, clasped together with their heads close. It was a sweet sight. 

Maud was still dancing with Tycho Reeves, both of them smiling at whatever they were talking about. Viresh was chatting animatedly with Jeff, Kayo had persuaded Brains to dance with her, and Alan seemed to be vlogging. Hopefully just for himself and not for the internet. John and Ridley were one of the couples who had stopped dancing in order to watch Gordon and Penelope, and the copper-haired Tracy was shaking his head, a fond smile on his face, while Ridley laughed, her arm still around his waist. The other interrupted couple was Kyrano and Cathy’s mom, who both seemed amused by Gordon and Penelope’s antics rather than annoyed that their own dance had been disrupted. 

Grandma Tracy and Colonel Casey seemed to be holding an important discussion by the buffet table, and the registrar was talking to Parker, scratching Sherbet behind the ears as he did so. Parker didn’t seem to know what to make of his employer’s dancing skills, if his expression was anything to go by, and that, for some reason, made Cathy want to giggle. 

“What?” Virgil said.

“Parker’s face.”

He glanced over his shoulder to look, then quickly turned back around to laugh. “Poor guy.” 

Cathy smiled at his words, meeting his gaze. She had so much she wanted to say to him, and was so unsure that she ever would. 

“Thanks for dancing with me,” he spoke up out of the blue.

She frowned, taken aback for a second. “Um, no, I should be the one thanking you,” she insisted. “You’re the only person who was thoughtful enough to notice that I might still be struggling with a few things.”

Well, except for Anne, but since Cathy didn’t want to worry her, that didn’t count. 

“You don’t have to thank me for paying attention,” he said. 

“Well, I am anyway. I know I should be back to normal by now. I mean, it’s been three years…”

“Don’t,” he said quickly. “Don’t put a timestamp on it. Everyone recovers at different speeds, and that’s totally okay. Just as long as…” He trailed off, seeming to deliberate how to phrase his next words. “Just as long as you know that at some point you’re going to have to take a chance. And remember that most people aren’t like Ed.” 

“I do know that,” she replied honestly, “but…I could still get hurt.”

Virgil nodded, his face earnest. “Yes, but…that’s the risk we all take.” 

Ed had tried to make her believe that he was the only one who loved her, and although she’d never completely bought into it, thanks to the regular calls from her mom, she’d been painfully aware of how she hadn’t always been the big sister she should have been to the one person who should love her unconditionally. His claims had cast doubt on everything she’d thought she’d known, made her question her past relationships, and driven her to seek approval from the audiences who came to hear her sing instead. The doubt was difficult to banish, although her repaired relationship with Anne helped a lot. 

The doubt made the uncertainty of every new relationship seem even more insurmountable. Where most people got past that fear and asked their crush out anyway, Cathy was unsure if she’d ever gather enough courage to do the same. There was the fear of rejection, and then the fear of being controlled again. However, she was fairly confident that she could never be manipulated in that way again, and that was reassuring. Still…

She sighed heavily. “Well, seeing as my sister is now married into International Rescue, I suppose I should at least try and find some bravery of my own. How else is our family supposed to match up to yours?” 

Virgil huffed a small laugh. “You know, it’s not a competition.”

“I know. But you guys find the courage to risk your lives for others every day. The least I can do is find some courage to take a risk for myself, right?”

He considered, expression pensive as his feet automatically kept them on the beat. “I guess there’s some logic in that.” 

“Why thank you.”

He grinned. “So what risk are you taking first?”

Cathy held his gaze, unsure how to answer. Eventually she settled on the truth. “I don’t know that I’m ready to take it right now, but…hopefully I will soon. There’s more to factor in than just my fear.”

“Like what?”

She wasn’t sure if he truly didn’t grasp what she meant, or whether he was trying to encourage her to talk about it. That was part of her problem: not knowing. But that, again, was something that everyone faced in these matters. 

“Like a friendship that I don’t want to ruin,” she told him truthfully. “I have to decide if it’s worth jeopardising it, because it’s a friendship I really value, and I don’t want to lose it.” 

Virgil nodded empathetically. “I get that. I worry about that too. But…if you don’t risk it, you’ll be left wondering forever.” 

That, too, was a big consideration. And she had no idea of what the outcome would be. He was too…nice…for her to predict it. That sounded absurd, even in her own head, but it was the truth. His behaviour to her was too warm, friendly, and courteous for her to even make a guess as to whether he liked her as she liked him. The irony was, she was certain it was because of her situation that he acted that way. If he did like her, he would never make her feel awkward by showing it while she was still fighting the shadow of Ed. It was so very him, and she felt a fierce wave of affection that he could be so thoughtful, but it wasn’t at all helpful in trying to deduce his feelings.

She would have to take a chance, even if it was just a small one. For now.

“I won’t wonder forever,” she assured him, “but I may wonder for a little while longer. I want to be courageous, but I think I’m going to have to work up to it. Although…if he gave me some sort of sign that I wouldn’t be taking a completely blind leap of faith, that would be…very welcome.” 

His gaze sharpened on hers, and Cathy began to feel that they were at last on the same page. Or in the ballpark, at least. A flutter of fear sparked to life in her stomach, accompanied by anticipation. It made her feel a little like she was standing on the edge of a rooftop, unsure if she was going to be able to fly or not. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling, and she began to wonder why she was putting herself through it. Surely it wasn’t worth it.

But then Virgil spoke. Just six words, but they helped more than he probably knew. 

“I think he could arrange that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I initially planned to be a lot more ambiguous on whether Virgil returned her feelings or not, but that would have left Cathy feeling anxious and unsure, and that didn't seem fair. As it is, it's still relatively ambiguous. Compared to Anne and Scott's story, anyway. 
> 
> It was nice to show Virgil some love for a change! And also any excuse to write in Penny and Gordon dancing the Charleston. I would actually pay good money to see that. I didn't have chance to write in Scott's reaction to Gordon's wedding cake improvements, but I imagine it would be weary resignation. 
> 
> Next time: flying lessons aboard Thunderbird 1. Simple, right?


	14. Flying Lessons

**Flying Lessons.**

It was Anne’s fifth lesson at the controls of Thunderbird 1, and although she could not say she was comfortable, she at least knew what she was doing. She still considered the extra tutelage completely unnecessary, but Scott had insisted. Scott, Virgil, Gordon and Alan had reached the point of being interchangeable when it came to who piloted what vehicle. Although they all still had their preferences and strengths, they could swap at any time and operate any craft with a high level of competency. Now Scott was ensuring that the rest of International Rescue reached the same standards. That meant that it was not only Anne who was receiving extra lessons, but Jeff, Grandma, Kayo and Brains too. Even John was reluctantly pulled from his station in order to learn how to fly the Birds, while the others took their turns learning about Thunderbird 5. Anne was grateful for the fact that, at the moment, she was restricted to Earth-based vehicles only. She had strong opinions about going into space, let alone being in charge of the craft that took her there. At least she could take comfort in the fact that she wasn’t the worst or most unwilling pilot. That honour went to Brains, and looked likely to remain with him. 

“Okay,” Scott spoke up from his position just behind her seat, “give her a little more speed.” 

Generally speaking, she hated to have anyone looking over her shoulder, but in this instance it was comforting to have him there. Cautiously she did as he instructed, and the blurry world beneath them became even blurrier. Anne was grudgingly beginning to realise why Scott loved his ship so much. It wasn’t just the speed that was thrilling, although that was quite something, but the way she could feel it responding to her commands, could almost sense the mood of the world outside in the way it negotiated crosswinds and thermals. She would never be a natural pilot, but for the first time, she _got it_. She got why Scott Tracy would never – _could_ never – be anything else. 

“Nice,” he praised, and she grinned.

The first few times she’d flown it, she’d been nervous about hitting high speeds, and her hesitancy had showed in her control. Now, she did it smoothly, although her heart still leapt in apprehension whenever she went anything above the average car speed. 

“See that field we’re coming up on?” he said.

“Yes.”

“Slow and put her down there.” 

Anne nodded, pulling her focus. She’d only landed once so far, and it had been a touch bumpier than either of them were comfortable with. 

The internal comm started beeping before she’d barely begun to slow down, and Scott reached forward to flick a switch. Colonel Casey’s worried figure flickered into existence from the holo emitters.

“Everything all right, Colonel?” Scott asked her. 

“I’m afraid not, Scott,” she said, her voice weary and…a little embarrassed? “I’ve been monitoring one of our planes. It seems to be locked on course and our people have gone radio silent. It’s one of the fastest planes we have, and as such, the ones I have at my disposal match it. It’ll take us too long to catch it up. I need your help.”

Wordlessly, Anne got up out of the pilot’s chair, and Scott jumped in, barely breaking the rhythm of his sentence. 

“Send me the coordinates. Is the plane on a collision course?”

“If it doesn’t alter its trajectory, it will eventually come down in the Atlantic, but I can’t say when that’ll be, as we can’t know for sure how much fuel it has left.”

“Got it. We’re on our way.” Looking at the coordinates she’d sent him, he added, “ETA nine minutes.” 

“Thank you, Scott,” Colonel Casey said with a grateful nod. “I’ll be in touch.” 

“Should we call Virgil?” Anne asked as the hologram faded. 

“He won’t get there in time,” Scott said grimly. “Even if he leaves now, the GDF will probably get there first.”

Anne held on to the back of his seat as he altered course and increased the speed. She knew she should probably take the passenger seat, but it was more interesting to be up front. She saw the land beneath them give way to water, and before long they were coming up on the plane. 

“This is International Rescue calling GDF plane, do you read me?” Scott sent out. 

Predictable silence answered him. 

“Figured,” he mumbled. 

“What now?” Anne asked. 

“Only one thing we _can_ do. Just gotta check that I’m okay to do it,” he told her, flicking a switch. “Colonel Casey, I’m with the plane. I’m not getting any response either. I can get the crew out, but I’m probably going to have to damage the plane to get to them.”

“Can’t you tow it to a safe landing?” Colonel Casey asked.

“No, it’s too heavy for Thunderbird 1 alone. I’m going to have to cut through the hull to create a gap for the evacuation tube. It’s too dangerous to try and get people out of the hatch.”

Looking resigned, she nodded. “Okay, do it.” 

“FAB,” Scott said before signing off. 

“You would have done it anyway, wouldn’t you?” Anne speculated. 

He shot her a quick grin. “Of course I would. People matter more than planes. She knows that, though.” Sobering, he fixed her with a steady look. “Okay, you’ve gotta take control of the ship while I rescue the crew.”

Anne stared at him aghast. “No. No way, I’m not ready for that.”

She was no longer a stranger to rescues. For two of her four previous lessons they had ended up being diverted to various situations, but there she’d just been a passenger. Her main goal had simply been to keep out of the way. 

“Anne, I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to be,” he said firmly, but not without sensitivity. “I can’t do this without you.” 

“Can’t you slave the controls to John or remote pilot?”

“John can’t do everything from space, I need someone with eyes on the plane, and I can’t remote pilot while I’m grabbing the crew.” He took a moment to meet her gaze, his look both trusting and reassuring. “I’m Field Commander of International Rescue. Do you think I’d be given that responsibility if I didn’t know when someone was capable of doing a job I set them?” 

“No,” she admitted. “But if you have no other choice…”

“There’s always a choice. I’d find another way. But right now, I’m choosing you. You can do this.”

Her reservations hadn’t gone away, but somehow the faith he placed in her overruled them enough for her to nod in reluctant agreement. “Okay.”

They switched places again, and Anne took the controls, warm from his confident grip. 

“I need you to match the speed of the plane,” Scott instructed her, “and hold steady underneath it while I attach an evacuation tube and bring the crew over.”

Feeling decidedly sick, Anne nodded tightly. 

“I’ll keep the comm channel open,” he added. 

She nodded again. 

“You okay?”

“Ask me later,” she muttered, and he laughed. 

He retreated to the back of the ship, and she tried not to panic at the loss of his guiding presence by her side. She focused on the GDF plane, moving Thunderbird 1 beneath it, ensuring they kept the same speed. 

Scott made noise rummaging around, and Anne chanced a quick look back to see what he was doing. He’d opened the dorsal hatch, and was attaching the condensed evacuation tube. 

“I’m going over now,” he told her, clipping his helmet into place. “Hold her steady.”

“Okay,” Anne acknowledged, breathing as calmly as she could manage. 

When he spoke again, it was through the comm, and she was glad she hadn’t actually seen him leave the ship. Somehow, that would feel a lot more like he’d truly left her alone. 

“Tube’s attached,” he reported to her, most likely just so she could hear his voice. She appreciated that. “Cutting through the hull now.” 

There came a faint clang as he moved the piece he’d cut up into the plane, followed by, “I’m inside.” 

“What do you see?” Anne asked him, partly out of curiosity, partly because talking to him helped her keep her focus. 

“No signs of trouble, other than that everyone’s unconscious. No sleep gas in the air.”

“Let’s hope they wake up and tell us what happened,” she commented. 

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Oh _crap_.”

“What?” Anne said in alarm. “Oh crap isn’t good!” 

“Plane’s got less than seven minutes of fuel left, then it’s going down.” His voice was urgent, and a touch laboured, making her think that he’d just picked up his first rescuee. 

“How many people are there?” she asked, checking her speed. 

“Six,” he grunted, and she heard him land behind her. 

Anne risked another glance back, seeing him steadying the GDF officer he’d held in front of him as he slid down through the tube. He propped the man into the passenger seat and strapped him in place, then promptly disappeared back up for the next one. 

“Thank god for the gecko gloves,” he said as he climbed.

“Thank Brains, you mean.”

He managed a chuckle. “Sometimes I think it’s the same thing.” 

Anne looked at her readouts and corrected her trajectory. “The plane’s starting to lose height,” she warned. 

“Yeah, I can feel it. Just make sure you match it, we can’t put any strain on the evacuation tube.”

“I am,” she assured him. 

“You’re doing great.” 

She smiled faintly at the praise. “I had a good teacher.”

Persons two, three and four were brought down, and had to be laid out on the floor. Anne watched the waves below get steadily larger and more defined. Logically, she knew the plane was higher up than it appeared to be, but it was still alarming. 

“Thunderbird 5 to Thunderbird 1,” John said, appearing from the emitters. “How are you…uh…hi, Anne.”

“Hi, John,” she replied tensely, correcting course yet again. 

“Are you…doing what I think you’re doing?” John asked. 

“Yup, afraid so. Don’t worry, I can hardly believe it either.”

“Uh…okay,” he said, sounding bemused but accepting. She didn’t chance a look at his face. “How many more people do you need to get out? Your plane’s coming down.”

“Yes, we know that, thank you,” Anne rattled out, hearing the edge of faint panic in her voice. “There’s two more.” 

“Oh _crap_ ,” she heard Scott say again. 

“God, what is it now?” she asked, already concerned about the answer. 

“Nothing,” he said unconvincingly. “I hope.” 

“Scott, if there’s a problem, we really need to know,” said John with calm authority. 

“If I discover that there _is_ a problem, you’ll be the first person I tell,” Scott retorted at once, strained voice indicating that he was carrying the fifth person to the tube. 

“FAB,” John said reluctantly before vanishing. 

Anne glanced back just in time to see Scott slide out of the tube. He set a woman down next to her fellow officers, then he was gone again. 

“The plane has to be out of fuel by now,” she speculated. “It’s falling at a sharper angle. For the love of all that is holy, please get your finely-crafted ass back down here.”

“You know these comm calls are recorded in the mission log,” he said, amusement colouring his voice.

“I don’t care.”

“Just saying, I’m not sure that’s the kind of detail that needs to be on record.” 

“I disagree,” Anne said, trying to match his light tone in the hope that it would help stave off her concern. 

“I’ve got the last one,” he said. “Coming back for good now.”

“Good,” Anne muttered. 

A few moments later, she heard him deposit the last officer on what was left of the floor space. He disappeared to detach the evacuation tube, jetpacking back into the ship and sealing the hatch once more. 

“Break off,” he said tersely. “Gain some height.”

She did as he instructed, but asked, “Why?” 

“Just in case. I have to check something.” 

Anne glanced over her shoulder briefly, and saw him ditch his helmet and kneel awkwardly in the tiny space between officers. He tugged off the head gear of the fifth person he’d brought up, and felt for a pulse at her neck. Turning back around, Anne saw the GDF plane growing steadily smaller through the panels in the floor. 

“Lieutenant Van Arkel,” Scott said urgently. “Marion, can you hear me?” 

Anne frowned, trying to place the name that sounded vaguely familiar. Then an old memory came back to her: Scott and herself hiding in the kitchen of her old apartment, him telling her about a mission in the Shackleton Power Plant and who he’d met there. Marion Van Arkel, the GDF’s nuclear expert. Suddenly she understood why he was so concerned. 

“Sc…Scott?” came a faint, unsteady-sounding voice. “What happened?”

“I was hoping you could tell me,” he said, sounding as if he was offering one of his reassuring smiles. “But first, I need to know. Is there any radioactive material on that GDF plane?” 

Now she sounded truly bemused. “What? No. Why…?”

“Both times I’ve bumped into you, we’ve had a nuclear situation on our hands,” Scott clarified. 

“Oh!” she said, seeming to grasp his unease. “No, don’t worry. I was just on board for a training exercise.” 

Scott let out an audible sigh of relief. “Good. That’s great. Who’s in charge of your crew?” 

“That would be me,” Marion declared, her voice sounding more confident as she seemed to shake off her wooziness. Anne thought her accent hailed from South Africa, but she wasn’t certain. 

“Can you remember anything about what happened?” Scott asked.

Before Marion could answer, however, John reappeared. 

“Thunderbird 1, you have an unknown craft approaching the crash site.” 

Anne pulled up a map and spotted what he was looking at. A blinking red dot heading directly for them. 

“Is it the GDF?” Marion asked. 

“I don’t think so, it’s a single, small plane.” 

There was a rush of movement, then Scott was at her shoulder again. By the sounds of it, Marion wasn’t far behind him. Anne glanced at him, hoping he was about to take over the controls, but his gaze was fixed on the map. Before long, the plane came into view through the panels beneath them, where it circled the GDF plane, which was still mostly afloat on the surface of the water. 

“I don’t think they know we’re here,” Scott surmised. 

“Maybe you should introduce yourselves,” John suggested dryly. 

“Would be rude not to,” Scott replied with a smile. “Take her down,” he said to Anne. 

Inwardly sighing, she did so, and they watched the scene below get progressively bigger. 

“Halt there. Let’s see what they do,” Scott said. 

The unidentified plane continued circling, although it almost certainly knew they were there. Anne wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but there seemed to be something indecisive about its movements. Then the comm started to beep. 

“They want to talk,” she said in surprise. 

“Okay,” Scott said, “let’s see what they’re up to.”

“Wait!” Marion burst out, making Anne jump. “Don’t answer it!”

“Why not?” Scott asked her. 

“I remember now. They did the same thing to us, and when we answered it was just…noise. Some weird frequency. And then…words, I think,” Marion said, seeming unsure. “I…I think it was some kind of hypnosis.” 

“That’s what knocked out the crew?” John asked, brows raised. “Interesting.” 

Anne repressed a smile. Of course he would find that interesting. Communications was his job, and he was most likely offended that it could be used as a weapon. 

“Let me talk to Brains about that,” he added. 

The comm stopped beeping after it became clear they weren’t going to respond, and the plane suddenly shot off, making an unsubtle attempt at escape. 

“John, let the GDF know about our little friend,” Scott spoke up. “They’ll probably want to question them.” 

“FAB,” he said, and his hologram winked out. 

Scott turned away to speak to Marion. “Let’s get the rest of your crew up, then we can drop you off somewhere.”

“Wait, aren’t you going to go after the plane?” she cut in. 

“The GDF will take care of them.”

“We should follow and keep him in sight until Colonel Casey arrives.” 

“International Rescue doesn’t chase bad guys, Lieutenant,” Scott declared firmly. 

“But the GDF does,” Marion argued back. “I am GDF, and right now you’re the only ride I’ve got. All I’m asking is that you follow. You don’t have to engage.”

“This ship isn’t equipped with anything _to_ engage,” he reminded her. 

“Then what’s the harm?” 

There was a brief, deafening silence, then Scott sighed. “Fine.” Turning, he said, “Follow the plane.” 

Anne shot him a look. “Uh, I really don’t think I should…”

“Now, Anne.” 

The words brought her up short, not snapped or angry, but definitely firm and not to be argued with. All at once she remembered what he’d said to her on her very first lesson, the first thing he’d said when she’d taken her seat. 

_“At all other times we’re equal, we’re a partnership, but when you’re on my ship, particularly if you’re in that chair, I’m your commanding officer, and when I give you an order, you follow it.”_

She’d taken his words in, felt the gravity of them, and agreed. It wasn’t often that she got to see Field Commander Scott, and she had to admit to feeling a tiny bit awed by him. 

Meeting his gaze, she saw the trust he had in her. He had absolutely no doubt that she was capable. Swallowing, she nodded. Bringing up the map again, she pivoted the ship to match the plane’s direction and fired the thrusters. She kept a moderate speed, knowing there was a danger of overshooting if she let Thunderbird 1 stretch her legs. 

_High-speed chases with potential bad guys_ , she thought to herself, clenching her teeth. _What the hell even is my life anymore?_

And then she grinned, because the answer to that question was one of unabashed elation.

Behind her, Marion and Scott were tending to the rest of the GDF crew, making sure they were conscious and hydrated. It wasn’t long before Scott was back at her side, however, and she was grateful to have him there. 

“They know they can’t outrun us,” he commented, when they’d been keeping neck and neck with the plane for several minutes. 

“At least they don’t seem to have weapons,” Anne said. 

“True. Looks like there’s a small landing strip ahead, they may try and put down there and escape on the ground.”

Anne blinked. She’d been so focused on not losing the plane, she hadn’t even noticed they’d left the Atlantic behind. 

“More ships!” she exclaimed, seeing the dots appear on the map. 

Scott leaned forward to look. “It’s okay, it’s Colonel Casey.”

“How do you know?”

“Only the GDF flies in that formation.” 

As they closed in on the unidentified plane from two sides, the pilot opted to do as Scott predicted, and headed for the landing strip, no doubt hoping that the time it would take for the GDF to catch up and land would allow them a precious few minutes to run. Unfortunately for them, they’d failed to realise that the GDF vehicles, much like Thunderbird 1, could come in and land vertically, and it wasn’t long before Anne could see a handful of olive-clad soldiers hurrying after two figures running from their abandoned plane. 

“Put her down,” Scott instructed. 

This time, she really did feel the need to protest. “But I’ve only landed once,” she reminded him. “And it wasn’t great.”

“Just take it slow. You’ve got this.” 

Grumbling under her breath, and inadvertently making him laugh in the process. Anne mentally ran through the checklist of steps she needed to go through in order to make a successful landing. No one except her was surprised when Thunderbird 1 touched down safely a few moments later, albeit still bumpier than Scott would have done it. 

“Excellent,” he praised her, grinning. 

Anne let out a long exhale, shoving the shoulder guards back and easing herself off the seat. All the tension drained from her body, leaving her feeling tired and a little wobbly. Her hands were shaking, she noticed idly. Scott noticed the same moment she did, and he took hold of them, squeezing her fingers reassuringly. 

“You okay?” he asked her. 

Regulating her breathing as she came down from her adrenaline high, Anne nodded. “I think so.” 

“You did amazingly.”

She sent him a faint smile. 

He held her gaze for a beat longer, searching her face to make sure she truly was okay, then he turned to his passengers. “How’s everyone doing?”

A chorus of affirmatives floated back to him, and he tapped a few buttons on his comm to open the bottom hatch and extend the ladder down to the tarmac below. 

“Are we all ready to move out?” Marion asked them. 

“Yes, sir,” the other five replied in unison. 

“Okay, let’s go.” 

Although some of them still appeared to be a touch woozy, they all made it down the ladder unaided. Marion bought up the rear with Scott and Anne. 

“Thank you for what you did,” she spoke up. “I know you didn’t want to chase after that plane, but…in the end, you didn’t have to stray too far out of your comfort zone.” 

“True, although I’m not sure Anne would agree.” 

“No, Anne would not,” Anne declared. 

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” Marion said pointedly. 

“Right, sorry,” Scott said. “Anne, this is Lieutenant Marion Van Arkel. Lieutenant, this is my wife, Anne Tracy.” 

There was a flicker of something in Marion Van Arkel’s dark eyes; surprise, perhaps an unconscious touch of disappointment. But she smiled and offered her hand. 

“Pleased to meet you.”

“You too,” Anne said, shaking it. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Good things, I hope.”

She nodded. “Escaping-radioactive-danger-by-the-skin-of-our-teeth sorts of things.”

Marion chuckled. “Sounds about right. I hope he’s not pressganging you into the family business.”

“I believe he might be trying,” Anne said with a small smile. “It’s not going to work.” 

“It already has,” Scott told her smugly. “You’re in way too deep now, sweetheart.” 

“That so?” She said it challengingly, but she suspected he was right. 

Scott laughed, but thankfully was stopped from replying by the approach of Colonel Casey. 

“Excellent work, International Rescue,” she began, smiling. “Thanks to you, we have two saboteurs in custody.”

Scott sobered at once. “I hope we don’t have another Hood on our hands. Maybe I should have Kayo sit in on the interrogations?” 

“No need,” Colonel Casey assured him. “We know who they are. One of them is a disgruntled former employee, the other his brother. It seems he was just out for some petty revenge. We parted on…less than pleasant terms.”

Anne knew the relief she was feeling was only a fraction of Scott’s. He’d been half expecting a new enemy to arise ever since the Hood was captured, although so far none had. 

“Lieutenant Van Arkel said that they were all knocked unconscious by hypnosis,” Scott reported. 

Marion nodded. “We’ll need to make sure we safeguard our security against that, Colonel.” 

Colonel Casey received the news with a grim look, but Anne didn’t think she was surprised. Perhaps that had been something the man had been working on before he’d been fired. 

“John and Brains are looking into it now,” Scott said. “I’m sure they’ll share their findings with you, Colonel.” 

Colonel Casey nodded. “Thank you, Scott. And thank you for rescuing my officers.” 

Scott bowed his head in acknowledgement. “It was our pleasure, Colonel. I couldn’t have done it without Anne.”

“Yes you could,” Anne protested in a mumble. 

“Thank you, Anne,” Colonel Casey said, smiling. “I didn’t know International Rescue were taking on new members.”

“They’re not,” Anne told her. “I’m just back-up. Apparently it’s unavoidable if you marry into the organisation.” 

Colonel Casey chuckled. “Well, thank you for your help anyway.”

Awkward, Anne sent her a little smile. “You’re welcome.” 

“Well, we’d better get back to base,” Scott spoke up. “Happy to help, as always, Colonel. Lieutenant Van Arkel, it was nice to see you again.”

“You too. At least we didn’t have to worry about radiation this time,” Marion said with a small smile. 

Scott laughed. “Definitely a nice change.” 

He nodded to them both, then turned back towards Thunderbird 1. Anne followed his lead, and they climbed the steps up to the ship. 

“Ready to fly back?” he asked her, shooting her a grin.

“Seriously? Haven’t I flown enough for one day?”

“Learn by doing, Mrs. Tracy,” he advised, gloved hands settling on her waist. 

Anne wrinkled her nose. “Still sounds weird, hearing you call me that. Mrs. Tracy is your grandma!” 

He laughed. “Not to me. She’s Grandma.”

Anne shook her head, sending him a fond smile and tracing her hands up his arms. “Fine. I’ll fly back. But I’m not doing the vertical landing.”

“You’ve gotta learn it sometime,” he warned her.

“I know, but it doesn’t have to be today.” 

He conceded with a tilt of his head. “Fine, I’ll do it then. But you can watch. Want to sit in my lap again?”

She laughed. “Since you asked nicely, how could I refuse?” 

“I’ll remember that for future reference,” he said with a calculating smile. “So, your first proper International Rescue mission. How do you feel?”

Considering the question, Anne pursed her lips in thought before answering. “Tired,” she settled on. “But…kind of pleased with myself, I guess.”

Scott nodded, lips quirked in amusement. “Well, that’s not the worst reaction. Pretty good starting point, I’d say.” 

Neither of them said it, but there would always be the chance that she’d have to do something similar again. It was unlikely, but the encounter with the GDF saboteurs had proved that it was pointless to make assumptions. Life was simply too unpredictable. 

Not too long ago, the thought of that unpredictability would have made Anne unsettled, if not downright nervous. How far she’d come in trusting herself and her abilities. How much difference was made by having someone who truly believed in her. That was why they worked so well together, she supposed. He boosted her confidence, she tempered his recklessness, and they met somewhere effectual in the middle. 

She rose up on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips, then turned towards the pilot’s seat. “I’d best get us home, then.”

Scott followed to stand by her shoulder once more, nodding in approval as she initiated the take-off without hesitation. As she prepared to fire the thrusters, he smiled down at her. “Say it. You know you deserve to.”

Anne sent him a little grin before facing forward again. “Thunderbird 1 is go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This one was a lot of fun to write! Back when I worked in pharmacy, my manager decided that we should all be trained in everything so that we could jump in and cover where needed. (As a dispenser with social anxiety, I did not appreciate being shoved out on the counter, but that's neither here nor there.) I figured that Scott would think that sort of arrangement would make sense for IR. They're kind of there in the show already, but I liked the idea of him expanding on it. I also think that Anne would take on some sort of martial arts training with Kayo for self-defence, but that didn't quite make it into the story. 
> 
> Also, disclaimer: I don't actually know if it's possible for hypnosis to be used in this way. It was more a nod to shows like The Avengers, (the 60s TV show, not Marvel), where it was used in crazy ways because Plot regardless of realism. Don't take it too seriously! Unless it's accurate, in which case...go nuts. 
> 
> One more chapter to go. For now.


	15. Sunshine

**Sunshine.**

Rubble bounced off Scott’s back as he shielded the archaeologist curled into a ball beneath him. It stung a little where it caught his arms, but his helmet and jetpack took the brunt of it. When it stopped, he cautiously eased back, and the woman unfurled herself. 

“Has it stopped?”

Scott stood and shone his flashlight upward, examining the rocky ceiling, and the huge pile of rocks and shrapnel that had once been the way in and out. It looked settled and immovable. That was good in the sense that they wouldn’t get rained on again, but bad for the chances of making a quick exit. 

“Yeah, for now,” he reported. In a sudden flare of frustration, he kicked a pebble, sending it skittering across the ground. “God _dammit_.” 

The archaeologist looked understandably alarmed. “Are we both stuck here?”

Reminding himself that he had a job to do, Scott forced his irritation down, turning a calmer expression on the young woman. Her eyes were wide with concern underneath her hardhat. 

“We are,” he told her, levelling his voice, “but it’s okay. My brothers will get us out.”

“Scott, come in, are you okay?” 

At the sound of Virgil’s worried voice, he pressed the comm button on his utility sash and reassured him. “We’re fine, Thunderbird 2. The entrance is blocked, though. Gonna need to switch to plan B.”

“FAB,” Virgil said at once. He must have picked up on Scott’s frustration, as he added, “We’ll be as quick as we can.”

“I know, but be safe. We don’t want to cause another cave-in.” 

“Agreed. Hang tight. We’re on our way.” 

“What else am I gonna do?” Scott commented quietly once the transmission had cut off. 

“What’s plan B?” the archaeologist asked, panting a little as she stretched her leg out in front of her, favouring her ankle. 

Scott crouched by her side, unclipping his med kit. “They’ll dig us out from the side,” he explained, “but it’s going to take a while. They’ll need to go slowly to make sure they don’t trigger another cave-in.”

She nodded, resting her gloved hands on her thighs. “Okay,” she said, although it seemed more to reassure herself than answer him. 

He found a painkiller patch and gestured with it. “Am I okay to put this on your leg?”

“Please do,” she said, reaching to tug the bottom of her trousers from where they were tucked into her boots. 

“What’s your name?” he asked her, sticking the patch down on a section of bare leg, then easing off her boot. 

“Gwen.” 

“Nice to meet you, Gwen. I’m Scott.” 

She offered him a tiny smile, wincing as he felt along her ankle and gently rotated her foot. 

“I don’t think it’s broken,” he reported. “But it’s swollen. I’m going to put your boot back on to give it some support, okay?”

“Okay.” 

He laced her boot back up, pulling it tight, and she winced again. “Sorry,” he said.

“No, it’s okay,” she assured him. “It actually feels a bit better strapped up like that.” 

He found her backpack under some rubble and brought it over to her, propping her foot up on it to keep it elevated. Then, because there was nothing else to do but wait, he came and sat beside her. He sighed, briefly fogging up the visor of his helmet, and rested his outstretched arms on his bent knees. 

“I’m sorry, this is all my fault,” he confessed. 

Gwen peered at him in confusion. “How? I was the one who fell down here. If I hadn’t knackered my ankle, I could’ve climbed out myself.” Her accent was a pleasant lilting one that he knew to be Welsh, although he wouldn’t have been able to identify it.

“Not that. I caused us to be stuck here. I caused the need for plan B.” He shook his head, leaning it back against the cave wall. “I was moving too fast. I should have been more careful about causing a cave-in, but I was trying to be quick. Guess this is karma.” 

“Why, got somewhere to be?”

He smiled wryly. “Yeah. I’m needed here, but…I’m also needed somewhere else. I thought I’d be able to do both.”

As if on cue, his wrist comm alerted him to an incoming transmission, and he activated it. Cathy appeared, her holographic figure looking a little stressed. 

“Scott, what’s your ETA? She’s asking for you.”

Mentally kicking himself once again for his recklessness, he searched for an answer for her. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Cath. We need to use the Mole pod. My new buddy and I are…kind of stuck in a cave.”

His sister-in-law’s look seemed to sear him even through the holo. “You’re what?”

Gwen gave a quiet, nervous giggle from beside him. Cathy’s annoyance didn’t show itself often, but could elicit that sort of reaction. Particularly when directed at other people. 

“I estimate we’ll be out in an hour or so, if Gordon goes carefully in the Mole,” he said. 

Cathy glanced over her shoulder. “Okay,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll be honest, Scott…I don’t know if you’re going to make it in time.” 

A ripple of disappointment, guilt, and dismay bubbled up inside him, and he squashed it down. He had a duty to the injured girl beside him. 

“She’ll understand,” he stated. 

“Yes, but that’s not the point,” Cathy said validly. 

“I know. Shit, I _know_. But what can I do?”

Cathy’s expression turned sympathetic for the first time. “I know. Do you want to explain, or should I?”

“Let me,” he decided at once. Shooting Gwen a glance, he said, “Sorry about this.”

She shook her head, looking intrigued by the drama. “It’s okay.” 

Cathy unstrapped her wrist comm, and there was a moment of confusion as she handed it over. Then Anne appeared, her hair scrunched into a messy knot at the top of her head, a green hospital gown making her look pale and washed out. Her brow was furrowed in pain. 

“Let me guess,” she said, her voice a little breathless, “you’re delayed.” 

“Yeah,” he admitted. “I’m so sorry, Anne. It could be a couple hours yet.”

She nodded, but she couldn’t hide her disappointment, and, most cuttingly of all, a tiny flash of fear. Scott felt it like a blade to the heart. The sense of guilt rose up to swallow him, and he ruthlessly shoved it back. The last thing Anne needed was for him to get caught up in self-pity. 

“It’s okay,” she said, which was a blatant lie. “Just come as quickly as you can.” 

“I will,” he promised her. “How are you doing?”

She wrinkled her nose. “This sucks.”

Sensing that was an understatement, he smiled. “It’ll be worth it.”

“I know that, but right now? I hate everything. Including you. Especially you. This is all your fault.”

He laughed. “Not sorry.” 

She grunted unintelligibly.

“You’re doing great, honey,” he told her, wishing he could be there, trying not think of her thousands of miles away in Tracy Island’s medical bay while he was stuck in a cave in Wales. 

“I know I am,” she said indignantly, which made him want to laugh again. He quashed it. 

“Just hang in there. I’ll be home before you know it, either to let you crush my hand like tin foil, or…” He faltered a little in his reassurance. “Or to meet our new arrival.” 

Anne inhaled sharply, reaching out. He saw Cathy’s hand grip hers. “At this rate, probably…the latter,” she managed to get out, adding a brief exclamation of pain at the end of the sentence. He thought he heard a few swear words mixed up in it for good measure. “Ugh, why aren’t humans better at this by now?” she lamented. “Thousands of years of evolution and it still….hurts like hell!” 

Scott found himself caught between amusement and sympathy, once again biting down his anger that he’d been careless enough to get himself stuck. 

The holo image whirled confusingly, settling on a view of the floor and Cathy’s feet. 

“Oops,” he heard Anne say. 

Cathy picked up the comm, her face appearing. “I think we need to go now,” she told him. “Get here as soon as you can.”

He nodded. “I will. Thanks, Cathy. Anne, I love you. I’ll see you soon, I promise.”

She made an indistinct noise in response, and Cathy sent him a small smile before signing off. 

Scott lowered his arm, feeling annoyingly helpless. He wasn’t used to the feeling, and he was notoriously bad at handling it. It was always so much easier to take action, but he had to sit back and trust in his brothers to do so. 

He’d almost forgotten his companion, and was a little startled when she spoke. 

“I’m sorry.”

He turned to her. “What for?”

“If I hadn’t messed up, you’d be with her now.” 

“No,” he told her firmly. “Don’t apologise. This isn’t your fault. I told you, it’s mine. I was reckless coming in here. I didn’t pay attention to the terrain like I should have.” 

She didn’t say anything more, but she still looked remorseful. “Is it your first kid?” she asked after a pause.

Even though he suspected it would add to her misplaced guilt, Scott answered her honestly. “Yeah.” 

He remembered the day Anne had told him. It hadn’t been planned, but they’d stopped being as careful as they’d been in the past, deciding that what would happen would happen. Scott thought they’d probably both been equally excited and terrified, and that had continued for the entire pregnancy. Everyone else was, of course, just excited. Anne had received multiple calls from her mom, and Grandma and his dad had offered him a lot of advice. Probably _too_ much advice, in hindsight. He wasn’t sure how much of it had actually sunk in. 

His brothers were already competing for the position of favourite uncle. Their child would be inundated with gifts within the first hour of their birth. Virgil had bought a little hooded onesie in the same shade of blue as their uniforms. John, ever practical, had thought far ahead and bought a picture book about space travel. Alan had bought several pairs of booties that were designed to look like adult shoes. Scott suspected their child would be more fashionable than anyone else on the island. Gordon had somehow managed to find a plushie of Thunderbird 1, although it was so big Scott felt sure that it would take up more room in the cot than the baby would. 

Although the thought made him sick to his stomach, Scott knew that Anne and their child would be just fine if anything ever happened to him. They would always be surrounded by family, and he was grateful. It would make it easier to go out and do his job, although…with a pang, he realised that he’d probably never be reckless again. 

Having Anne in his life had already tamed that side of him to a fraction of what it once had been, but once he was a father… He would always do whatever was necessary to save people, but equally strong now was the desire to always make sure he would be there for his child. It was a sobering realisation, and he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with it.

“Thought of any names yet?” Gwen asked, providing a welcome distraction. 

“A few,” he told her. “We decided not to know the sex ahead of time, so we have options.” 

“What are you hoping for?” 

Scott answered her honestly. “As long as it’s healthy, I’m happy. And…not even that. As long as it’s alive and we can care for it. There’s a history of boys in my family. I’m one of five. My dad had brothers, and so did his father. Odds are it’ll be a boy.” 

“But what about your wife?”

“She has a sister,” he admitted. “That was her on the comm.”

Gwen smiled. “It could be a girl then.”

Scott returned it, considering the possibility that he hadn’t given quite as much thought to as his own theory. “The first Tracy girl in four generations,” he mused aloud. “That would be something.” 

“Wouldn’t it? And can I just say that Gwen is an excellent name?” 

His smile widened into something a little more genuine. “I’ll add it to the list.”

Feeling the need to battle his restlessness, he got to his feet to walk a circuit of the cave, taking it all in for the first time. It wasn’t anything special to look at to his untrained eye, but his gaze was drawn to a fenced-off tunnel entrance. 

“Where does that go?” he asked. 

Gwen immediately picked up on what he really wanted to know. “Dead end, I’m afraid. This place is an old mine from the early twentieth century. It was abandoned after a collapse, but the miners left a lot of their equipment down here. I’ve been hoping to find it, to build a picture of who they were.” 

Scott’s heart sank at her words, but he drifted closer anyway, peering into the dark. “There’s airflow through here,” he observed, frowning. 

“There’s an opening in the ceiling a little way through, but it’s inaccessible.” 

He turned to glance at her. “Inaccessible how? I mean, how are _you_ trying to access it? Because we’ve probably got gear that you haven’t. No offence.”

“None taken,” she waved off. “Uh, well, inaccessible through climbing. But if you have…wait a second. Is that a jetpack you’re wearing?” 

Scott nodded. “Yeah, but it took the brunt of the rubble fall. I heard something spark back there.”

Gwen’s face had lit up, however. “Could be worth a try, right?”

Although he desperately wanted to try anything he could, he was determined not to take unnecessary risks again. 

“Let’s go and check it out, at least,” Gwen went on, clumsily getting to her good foot. 

Scott hurried forward to help her, letting her grip his arm for balance. “How far is it?” he asked. “I don’t want you putting any weight on that ankle.”

“Not far. I’ll be fine,” she insisted. 

Relenting, feeling his heartrate increase in hopeful excitement, Scott left her to stand on her own while he shifted the wire fence, then activated his flashlight, shining it into the tunnel. The light picked up the almost-buried cart tracks in the floor, leading the way. 

“Okay,” he said, business-like as he returned to Gwen, “I’m still not letting you put weight on that ankle, so I’ll carry you, you carry the flashlight. Deal?”

“Are you sure? I’m probably heavy.”

“I doubt it,” he said, shooting her a reassuring smile. “And I’m tougher than I look, in any case.” 

She nodded, and he picked her up, mindful of jolting her foot. She aimed the beam of light ahead of them, and they began to make their way down the tunnel. 

Gwen hadn’t been lying when she said it wasn’t far. They rounded one bend in the tracks and were able to see the faint touch of daylight ahead. Before long, they’d emerged in another cave, completely empty and uninteresting but for the small hole in its ceiling. Without specialist equipment, it was indeed inaccessible, and the plants half covering the view of the sky made Scott think that it was in an awkward location from the outside as well. That was probably for the best, or unsuspecting hikers would fall through it if they weren’t paying attention. But all that paled in comparison to the fact that it was an opportunity to get out of there faster. 

“Thunderbird 2, I may have a better plan B,” he reported, after setting Gwen carefully down on the floor.

“Which is?” Virgil asked 

“There’s a small opening in the ceiling of another cavern. North West of where we started. I’m going to try and jetpack up, but it took some damage in the rock fall. Might need a pick-up.” 

“FAB, Thunderbird 1. I’ll tell Gordon to keep going with the Mole, just in case, but in the meantime I’ll come find you.” 

_Hold on, Anne_ , he thought as he prepared to jet upwards, _I’m on my way._

The jetpack got him just over two thirds of the distance before it sparked alarmingly and started to conk out. It gave him enough time to load and fire his grapple upward, leaving him safely hanging from its cable when the jetpack gave up altogether. 

“Brains is gonna kill me,” he muttered. He’d lost count of the number of times it had had to be repaired. 

“You all right up there?” Gwen called anxiously. 

“Yeah, no problem.” He rappelled up the rest of the way, batting plants out of the way as he got to the top. “Don’t suppose you’ve got a machete on you?” he called down.

“You know what, I left my bladed weapons at home today,” she replied cheerily.

He chuckled, and started pulling out weeds by the roots instead. “Look out below,” he warned, dropping them. 

The sound of a familiar engine had him looking up. Thunderbird 2 was always easy to spot, but this close to the ground it was unmissable. He waved. The ship hovered overhead, then the platform descended from its cockpit, and Virgil leaned over the side. 

“What do you need?” he called. 

“Just a harness,” Scott yelled back. “I’m pretty sure I can climb out.” 

Virgil looked sceptical, but he obligingly disappeared. A harness started to make its way down, and Scott looked back at Gwen.

“Can you get into that on your own or do want a hand?” he asked her. 

“I can do it,” she assured him, reaching out for it as it got low enough. “I’m a climber, I know my way around a safety harness.”

It seemed she wasn’t bragging, as she got herself into it fairly quickly, even with her injured ankle, and checked the clips were secure before giving him a thumbs up. 

“Bring her up, Virgil,” he instructed. 

“FAB.”

Scott turned his attention to his own ascent, examining the terrain. The ground sloped down towards the cave opening, and was covered in weeds and dry earth that looked worryingly crumbly. Leaving his grapple attached, he cautiously pulled himself out of the cave, feeling the dirt shift under his gloves. 

“Nope,” he decided, dropping back though and dangling from the one hand that had found purchase on the rock. 

Gwen made a small noise of alarm. 

“I’m good,” he assured her. 

She was almost level with him now, and he caught her admonishing look with ease. Reaching up, he released his grapple and somehow managed to reload it with the magnetic ammo with one hand. Aiming again, he fired at Thunderbird 2’s hull, hearing it connect with a satisfying clang. Letting go of the rock, he rappelled upwards to join Virgil on the platform. 

“You’d best not damage the paintwork,” Virgil greeted him as he got closer. 

“I broke another jetpack, do you really think I’m worried about paint?” 

He disconnected the grapple, then moved to help Virgil bring Gwen aboard. 

“We need to get you to a hospital so you can get that ankle looked at,” he announced as she got settled in a passenger seat. 

“ _I_ need to do that, yes,” she agreed, “but you need to get home.”

Virgil sent him a nod. “She’s right. Gordon and I can finish up here.” He jumped into the pilot’s seat and took them back towards their initial landing spot, where the pod module and Thunderbird 1 waited. 

“Dad always taught us not to run out on a job,” Scott defended weakly, feeling that he should at least make some sort of argument before selfishly running home. 

“You’re not,” Virgil told him firmly, pivoting in his seat as soon as the ship settled. “The lady is rescued, the situation is under control. Now get your ass back to base and go be with your wife. She needs you now.” 

Face breaking out into a relieved and somewhat-nervous grin, Scott nodded. “Okay, okay. I’m going.” 

Despite the fact they’d only just met, Virgil and Gwen triumphantly high-fived each other, which made them both laugh. 

Scott stepped onto the platform. “Someone should fence off that hole,” he reminded them as it began to descend. 

“We know,” Virgil said. 

“And you should probably tell Gordon he can stop digging now.”

“We _know_ , Scott. Will you just go?”

“Fine, I’m gone.” 

“Thanks for all your help!” Gwen called after him. 

“No problem!”

He jumped off the platform before it reached the ground, running towards his beloved Bird. He leapt into his seat, retracted it, and started take-off procedure faster than he ever had before. He’d be pushing the ship to its limits, but it would handle it. It always did. 

Instead of calling Cathy, who was no doubt busy keeping Anne calm, he called his father. 

“I’m on my way back,” he reported “How is she?”

“Fine, I think.”

“You _think_?”

“It’s just Cathy and the midwife in there,” his dad told him. “The best the rest of us can do is keep out of the way. But we haven’t heard any news, which is a good thing. It’s going to be fine, Scott.”

While he didn’t doubt that his dad was right, and the familiar, soothing tone was reassuring, Scott knew he wouldn’t believe it until he could see for himself. 

Even once he was home, he still felt restricted by the seemingly-endless wait for the ship to travel back down from its launch pad, where he was forced to sit still – something he was notoriously bad at – until he could get out. The moving platform that took him to and from his seat had likewise never felt slower. 

In the elevator up to the house, he got changed as quickly as he could, knowing that the midwife wouldn’t let him anywhere near Anne in a uniform dusty with mud and dirt. He needed a shower, but that would have to wait. 

He had a brief impression of his dad, Grandma, Alan, Kayo and Brains all sitting in the lounge as he dashed past, but he didn’t stop to talk to them. Instead, he bolted down the stairs and hurried to the medical bay, finally skidding to a halt outside its doors so that he could open them calmly without startling anyone. 

Anne was propped up against multiple pillows, her face flushed and clammy, bearing an expression of tired determination. She turned her head when he entered the room, and sent him a grateful smile. Cathy relinquished her hand so that he could take it instead, and he hurried to her side. 

“I’m here,” he told her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m here now.” 

“Good,” she said, squeezing his fingers. “I didn’t want you to miss it, but…” She paused, wincing and catching her breath. “It’s close!” 

“We Tracys are always in a rush,” he said, rubbing what he could reach of her back.

“Except…when you get stuck in caves,” Anne panted. 

“Hey, I got out of it, didn’t I?” he quipped. 

She didn’t seem to have an answer for that, but her smile spoke volumes. The relief on her face was palpable, equal only to her thankfulness that he was there. 

“I’ll leave you to it,” Cathy spoke up. “Unless you need me to stay?”

Anne shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Thanks, though.” 

Cathy nodded, retreating with a smile and an encouraging, “Good luck!” 

“Okay, Anne, it’s show time,” the midwife spoke up from the business end of things. 

Scott felt a flare of anticipation and adrenaline, and knew it had to be a fraction of what Anne was feeling. He gripped her hand tight.

“You’ve got this, honey,” he said reassuringly. “And I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” 

“Better not,” Anne grunted. 

Scott had never appreciated the grip she had on her until he helped her through those last few minutes of struggle. He was the one who regularly hit the gym, yet he felt in serious danger of having his hand crushed. He vaguely heard the reports and instructions from the midwife, finding his focus resting solely on his incredible wife as she fought to bring their child into the world. It lasted forever and yet no time at all, until finally the med bay was filled with the sound of a new cry. A brand new person, the first of a new generation of Tracys, and by the sounds of it, they were not happy to have been kicked out of their comfy home. 

Anne blew loose hair out of her face, and glanced down at the midwife. “Everything okay?”

“Just fine,” the midwife said with a smile. She wrapped the new arrival in a towel and put it carefully in Anne’s arms. “You have a daughter.”

Scott looked down into the tiny, scrunched face, and felt himself lose his heart all over again. Anne was beaming, and she turned to meet his gaze, her eyes shining. He gently kissed her, resting his hand lightly on the back of his daughter’s head. 

“You’re amazing,” he told her. 

“Me or her?” Anne asked with a little laugh. 

“Both of you.” 

Snuggled up close to Anne’s heartbeat, the littlest Tracy began to settle down. Neither one of her parents seemed to be able to take their eyes off her for long. 

“Alan will be happy not to be the baby of the family anymore,” Anne commented. 

He chuckled. “True. How are you doing?”

“I feel like I may never walk properly again, but I’m fine. Just tired.” 

“Let’s get you cleaned up, then you can rest,” the midwife said, shooting Anne a smile. “You’ve earned it.” 

“Sounds good,” Anne said. To Scott, she added, “Do you want to take her?” 

Although his heart leapt in sudden fear, he nodded. “Sure.”

With the utmost care, they passed the bundle between them, and Scott accepted his daughter’s tiny physical weight, and her mind-blowingly huge metaphorical one. He was responsible for another human, and he wasn’t sure how the hell someone had let that happen or how he was supposed to manage the task of raising her. And yet he’d never accepted a challenge more willingly or joyfully. 

“She’s so perfect,” he murmured. 

It was too early to tell which of them she would take after, although the wisps of dark hair indicated that she’d inherited something of his colouring. Her complexion was still ruddy, and she had yet to open her eyes. 

“I know,” Anne said, her weary expression lighting up. 

The red light on the wall started to flash and softly beep, indicating that an emergency call was coming through upstairs. Anne’s face fell, and Scott groaned.

“Not again.” 

“Can’t your brothers handle it this time?” she asked, an edge of caution in her voice. She’d said she understood that the organisation always came first, but that had been when it was just the two of them. Things had unavoidably changed now. 

“I hope so.” He made no move to go and check. If he was needed, they would let him know. His daughter seemed to sense the sudden tension, wriggling a little in his arms, and he shushed her gently. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay, sunshine.”

“Sunshine?” Anne questioned, a smile breaking through her look of awkward discomfort as the midwife tended to her. 

“Well we haven’t named her yet.” 

“We should probably do that.” 

Footsteps clattering down the stairs heralded the arrival of Gordon, who threw the doors open with unnecessary force.

“Scott, we need Thunderbird 1. I’m happy to do it if you trust me to…holy shit!” 

Catching sight of the new arrival halfway through his sentence, Gordon halted and broke into a wide grin.

“Is that...?”

Scott rolled his eyes. “No, Gordon, it’s a _different_ baby. Get down to the hangar, you can take Thunderbird 1.” 

“FAB!” Gordon hollered before heading off. “Do we have a niece or a nephew?” he threw back over his shoulder.

“Niece!” Scott called back, covering his daughter’s ears. 

Gordon gave a whoop. “Excellent work, guys!” 

The midwife gave a chuckle as quiet fell once again. “Interesting dynamic you have here.”

“Speaking of, when can I go back to the apartment?” Anne asked. 

“I want you to stay here overnight so I keep an eye on you, but I expect you’ll be back tomorrow,” the midwife told her. “Now I need you to move over to this bed so I can change these sheets.” 

Anne nodded. Scott watched anxiously as the midwife helped her move the few feet to the next bed over. Anne winced the entire time, moving warily, but she didn’t seem to struggle. He moved over to her side once she was settled. 

“I’ll sleep in here too,” he told her. “I’m not going back to the apartment on my own when I can keep you two company.” 

“Good,” she said, nodding her agreement. “I’d like you nearby.”

“That’s good. When you were blaming me for everything, I wasn’t sure you’d want me anywhere near you again.” 

His tone was light and teasing, and she smiled at the words.

“I’m over it,” she assured him, and he grinned. “Do you think Gordon will tell everyone?” she mused.

“For sure,” he answered at once. “But don’t worry. Dad will keep them all out of here until we want visitors.” 

She nodded, covering a yawn with the back of her hand. 

“You should get some sleep, sweetheart.” 

Anne shook her head, looking at the baby in his arms. “What if she needs feeding?”

The midwife gave a soft chuckle from where she was stuffing soiled sheets into a laundry bag. “Don’t worry, she’ll let you know. I’ll just get rid of these, I’ll be right back.”

She was gone before Scott could tell her she didn’t need to do that. 

Anne reached out, lightly stroking the top of their daughter’s head. Seemingly quite content, the little one slept on, and Scott decided to enjoy it while it lasted. She would wake them up plenty of times, no doubt. 

“The first Tracy girl in four generations,” he spoke up softly. 

“Did we break the system?” Anne joked. 

“Think so. Guess we’ll have to wait for the next one to see for sure.”

She groaned. “I am not even _thinking_ of doing this again until I’ve forgotten what it was like.”

He laughed at her tone. “Noted, but I didn’t necessarily mean us. There are four other Tracy men, remember. One of them can pull their weight. My money’s on Virgil.”

“Not John? He and Ridley have been together a long time now…”

“I don’t know. They’d have to come down to Earth for that. Unless there’s a midwife willing to go to _them_.”

Anne gazed off into the middle distance and said thoughtfully, “I wonder if childbirth would be easier in zero gravity.” 

The first Tracy girl in four generations made a sleepy little sound as she dreamed, neatly reminding them of her presence. 

“We should probably give you a name,” Anne said, yawning again. 

“There’s loads of time for that,” Scott assured her. “Sleep now. We’ll both be here when you wake.” 

She smiled wearily, reaching out again and finding his hand. “Love you,” she mumbled. 

He bent to kiss her forehead. “I love you too. You’ve done amazingly.”

“You helped.” 

Scott smiled, but didn’t reply since her eyes had drifted shut. He backed away and settled in a chair, shifting his daughter carefully in his arms. He was tired too, he realised, and all he’d done that day was climb out of a cave and have his hand squeezed. 

_I’m a dad_ , he thought to himself, trying the phrase out. It sounded surreal, and pretty fantastic. 

“You’ve been born into a big, crazy family, sunshine,” he said in a whisper, gazing down at his sleeping daughter. “They’re gonna love you and spoil you rotten. You’ll have your grandpa wrapped around your little finger in no time. Your four uncles too. And your aunt. Then there’s honorary aunts, at least one honorary uncle, your grandma, your great-grandma…your honorary aunt’s chauffer…I’ll be honest, there’s a lot of names to learn, but I know you’ll get there. They’ll all always be there for you, like your mom and me. I promise.” He ran a fingertip down the soft little cheek. “When you’re older I’ll teach you to fly like I did your mom. Maybe you’ll be an ace pilot like me. Maybe I’ll let you fly my ship. Assuming your uncle Gordon doesn’t crash it.” He smiled at the thought. “Just don’t grow up too fast, okay? I’m not gonna be ready for you to be a teenager for at least thirty years.” 

She slept on, but Scott imagined she’d heard and understood every word, even if only on a subconscious level. In approximately seven minutes, the midwife would return to find all three of them asleep, and she would shake her head and smile. For now, Scott continued to gaze at his daughter, lost in emotions that almost felt too heavy to bear, pondering a potential future where she would take his place as Field Commander. But he knew whatever form the future took, it would be a bright one. How could it not when it had such a promising start?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, I know I wussed out of actually naming the baby. If I ever return to this family/universe, I'll have to address that, but for now... I'll take suggestions! (I wasn't convinced that Gwen earned the right to have the baby named after her, even though that would have been a very tidy solution.) Also I made the decision not to go into gory childbirth detail, because that would have felt tonally off, so I hope nobody minds this incredibly rose-tinted, clean version! All the usual stuff is happening, I just kept the camera away from it :D
> 
> So this is the last chapter for the moment. I'll be marking this story as complete, but feel free to follow/subscribe anyway, because if I ever get one-shot ideas I can just pop back here and post them. I hope everyone enjoyed the journey. It's been fun, and a learning experience. Tracys as parents seems to be a popular topic! I can see why. The thought of all their children carrying on their legacy is pretty satisfying.
> 
> Please feel free to find me on Tumblr under the name sweet-christabel. I don't post all that often, but I seem to be posting a lot of Thunderbirds art of late. Other than that, all that's left for me to say is thank you for reading. Stay safe. I hope the Misconceptions universe has been as helpful to you guys during lockdown as it has to me. We'll get through this, even though we don't have International Rescue :)


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